WORK to build flats and homes on a former sports field cannot begin, despite being approved last week, as they are now due to be re-examined to address local residents’ worries.

The plan by developer Cantay Estates to build 86 flats and houses at William Morris Close were approved by Oxford City Council’s east area planning committee on Wednesday, November 6.

Members of the Old Temple Cowley Residents Association attended the meeting to raise their concerns about the plan, which they said would lead to huge amounts of traffic on nearby Barracks Lane, and could have safety implications for children at Tyndale Community School.

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Despite the concerns, councillors on the committee said they could find no reasons to object in their guidance on planning.

But now, 14 councillors have signed a letter demanding that the flats plan is 'called in' for another look, after they were invited to do so by the Old Temple Cowley Residents Association.

Oxford Mail:

An overhead drawing of where the flats and homes would be if the plans are successful. Picture: Oxford City Council.

The plans will now be discussed by the city council’s planning review committee on Thursday, November 28, at 6.30pm.

Judith Harley, a member of the association, said: “We are delighted and we hope that the new committee will look in great detail and support the reasons for refusing this application.

“The residents are very grateful to all the councillors who supported the call in.”

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Ms Harley described the way in which the application had come back to the planning committee again and again as a ‘war of attrition.’

An application submitted for William Morris Close earlier this year had 102-homes billed for the site in flats and houses, before it was amended to 86.

Oxford Mail:

The playing fields at William Morris Close.

Independent councillor for Cowley Marsh, Sajjad Malik, was among the council members who signed the letter.

He said he could not comment on the decision to call in the application, and wanted to see what the planning review committee decided.

Mr Malik and felllow Cowley Marsh councillor Lubna Arshad were among the public speakers who raised worries about the site.

See planning reference 18/03330/OUT at Oxford City Council's website for information.