MAJOR housing developments in Oxford could be derailed unless refusal of a new city school is quashed.

Oxfordshire County Council has threatened to object to future housing applications, including the £50m Oxford North project, if the Swan School is not allowed to open in September 2019.

Education bosses have set out the ultimatum in a letter to Oxford City Council’s head of planning, before a committee reconsiders the 1,260-pupil Marston secondary school later this month.

The letter states: “Oxford’s school population is growing rapidly.

"Current [secondary] school capacity serving the city will be insufficient from 2019 onwards to meet need for pupils already in our primary schools.

“That deficiency will be exacerbated with any future housing in the city.

“Without the Swan School, the county council will not be able to ensure sufficient secondary school capacity for future developments, and will have no alternative but to object to future housing applications.

“This includes the application currently out for consultation, for Oxford North.”

Oxford North is an urban district planned for land between the Wolvercote and Peartree roundabouts – containing business space, 480 homes, a hotel, nursery and parks.

Although the city council is the decision-maker on planning applications, the county council is a key consultee and advises if infrastructure can cope.

The city council's planning review committee is due to reassess the River Learning Trust’s application for the Swan School on October 15, and either uphold or overturn the refusal.

Last month councillors defied planning officers' advice and voted down the school, which would be built in place of the current Harlow Centre.

The county council's letter said it was ‘deeply disappointed’ and warned that, without the Swan School, more pupils will be forced into schools outside of Oxford.

The letter added: “There is likely to be an increase in travel distances to school, and a decrease in percentages of pupils attending their preferred schools.”

The public document was penned by the council’s deputy director for education, David Clarke, and Eric Owens, its assistant director for growth and place.

The pair said they cannot support the city council’s Local Plan – a blueprint for future development in Oxford – until they secure more secondary school places.

They stated that expanding current schools instead of building a new one would bring several 'constraints', and hinge on where land is spare rather than where need is.

Many Swan School objectors – which included Cyclox, the county council’s cycling champion Suzanne Bartington, and Marston Parish Council – raised concerns about the access road cutting across the busy Marston Ferry Road cycle path.

Councillors who sided with critics also cited safety concerns about access, and the loss of Green Belt land.

Their decision has been met with backlash from some Marston parents, who set up a petition that has been signed by more than 900 people.

New Marston resident Amber Hatch hopes her 10-year-old daughter Morrigan will be among the first Swan School pupils next year.

She said: "I just hope that councillors will put aside any political differences and take responsibility for meeting the urgent needs of Oxford's children.

"It seems crazy that we should have to fight for a secondary school place."

The Swan School is still planning for 2019 opening and accepting applications, in hope of the decision being overturned.

River Learning Trust chief executive Paul James said: "This letter goes to show what a serious situation this is - there will not be enough places at Oxford secondary schools from next September.

"The proposed site in Marston was deemed the best of 29 looked at, it addresses the area of greatest need and access has been judged to be safe by experts.

"Opinions differ, but these are the facts."

The controversial site was chosen by a government agency, following a delay that pushed the school’s opening back by two years.

Last week developers submitted an amended travel plan and scores of revised drawings, in attempt to further clarify the plans.

Some people, however, remain unconvinced.

County councillor and education expert John Howson, who has supported the Swan School in the past, echoed concerns about cyclists’ safety.

Prof Howson added: “I have sympathy for the parents living in Marston, but my first duty is to the children at the Cherwell School in my division and their safe route to and from school.”

He said if refusal is overturned, it should be done so on the condition that a new underpass for cyclists is built– a feature that was deemed unnecessary by planning officers.

If the review committee maintains refusal, River Learning Trust can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, but this is a lengthy and costly process.