NEIGHBOURS of Oxford Brookes University are being asked to back a smaller design for a £150m campus – or potentially face a fresh fight over the original rejected scheme.

The university has revealed substantially altered plans after residents’ objections saw the original proposal thrown out in September.

But, while Brookes says much depends on public response, it will consider taking the original scheme to appeal if the new plans meet similar resistance.

The original plans were rejected by Oxford City Council in September over concerns about size of buildings.

Oxford Mail readers are today given a first view of the redesigned Student Centre, viewed from Headington Road.

The revised plans go on public display tomorrow and Saturday.

The image shows the western section of the library building (on the right of the picture) now reduced to four above-ground levels, cutting its height by 3m.

The revised scheme would add £1m to the cost of transforming the Brookes campus.

At the outset, the library was six storeys high.

But in June, Brookes proposed a basement library to create five above-ground storeys.

However, the council was still unconvinced.

Paul Large, Brookes University’s acting registrar, said it would be assessing local opinion before deciding whether to proceed with a planning application.

Mr Large said: “Our governors liked the redesign and believe it responds to concerns raised by neighbours.

“But the idea of us throwing the whole thing away and starting again is really something we could not agree to.

“If it proved too difficult to progress this scheme, the view might be taken that we might as well go to appeal on our first application.”

The university hopes a planning application can be submitted by early January.

Susan Lake, chairman of the Headington Hill residents’ association, said: “We regret that the architect had not been directed to drastically cut the material elements that enshrine unneighbourliness and unsuitability to a residential and conservation area.

“Rather than tinkering around the edges of the basically unaltered plans at this ‘second chance’ for Brookes, the university should drastically lower the height of the building and reconsider the siting of the building.”

The revised plans are at the Buckley Building, Gipsy Lane campus, tomorrow and Saturday from noon to 4pm.