OPPONENTS of the £330m Westgate Centre development in Oxford are to mount a bid to kill off the scheme and force planners to “return to the drawing board”.

A motion is due to be presented to Oxford City Council next month calling for it to reconsider Capital Shopping Centres’ plans to extend the centre and rebuild the adjacent car park.

The council’s building agreement with the developer comes to an end in December, with the planning permission due to lapse next spring.

Green councillor Sushila Dhall, who will present the motion, said: “Given that the planning permission lapses in March and no building work has started, and in the light of the continuing economic downturn, the council should return to the drawing board to look at the site again.”

She believes a fresh scheme should provide greater community space, more affordable housing and small business units.

The project was put on hold in July last year.

City council leader Bob Price said it would be seeking assurances the scheme could be done “within a reasonable time period”, before renewing a development agreement.

Mr Price said: “The building agreement between ourselves and CSC expires at the end of the year.

“We hope before the deadline arrives we have some greater clarity about the options and their intentions for the whole site.

“It’s important to regenerate this part of Oxford – it’s not looking brilliant at the moment.”

Mr Price said the prospect of the scheme having to be reduced in size could not be ruled out, with even the flagship John Lewis department store perhaps having to be scaled down.

He said: “As I understand it, discussions between CSC and John Lewis are still progressing and we will have to see if the two parties can bring together something that makes sense financially.

“Property values were high, but property values have changed.

“They may have to come back with a reduced planning application if the plans are changed substantially and the requirements of John Lewis have changed.”

Jeremy Collins, head of retail development at John Lewis, said the company was still determined to open a new store in the Westgate.

He said: “We remain committed to a department store in the city centre and we’re seeking a solution with Capital Shopping Centres.”

Last week CSC said it would be going ahead with modest plans to improve the existing centre, in recognition that trade had been hit by its present “sad” appearance.

Meanwhile, the Green Party said there was still widespread anger about the decision to move people out of housing to make way for the development.

The homes in Abbey Place were meant to have been demolished by now.

Ms Dhall said: “I don’t think they have put short-term tenants in, so 10 of the 14 are empty and four are still occupied.”