NUALA Young appears to be living in a world of her own.

The strategic development control committee on Wednesday overwhelmingly agreed a renewal of planning permission for the Westgate Shopping Centre, after a balanced and considered debate.

The Crown Agents, the new owners of the site, wanted to renew planning permission before the original permission lapsed. But is unlikely that the original plans will ever be built. Instead we can expect the Crown Agents to seek a rather different scheme, if and when the economy improves.

Green Party councillors have consistently opposed a new Westgate Shopping Centre.

But I believe Oxford needs a new shopping centre. It makes no environmental sense for shoppers to travel to Reading or Milton Keynes to make their purchases.

At no stage did I try to stifle debate. Councillor Young failed to come up with a single change which would have justified refusing the planning permission.

My offence seems to have been having the audacity to disagree with her and her so-called Green Party.

JOHN TANNER, City councillor for Littlemore Executive member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford, Sunningwell Road, Oxford