Sir – Recent correspondents have rightly drawn attention to Ruskin College’s proposal to make three fields at the northern edge of the Old Headington Conservation Area available for development. The natural beauty of these fields has been widely recognised since the first application to build over them was submitted in 1933.

The city council refused permission, and the property was sold to Michael Sadler. He was the first owner to safeguard the fields by a covenant restricting building, a restriction transferred via later owners to Ruskin College. The city council brought the fields into the Conservation Area in 1998, in another recognition of their special quality.

Now Ruskin proposes to build 190+ houses there. Many of your readers will be familiar with that fall of land from the Rookery down to the northern bypass: it is a delightful patch of countryside which the residents of Headington and Northway have enjoyed for very many years (for blackberrying, dog-walking, as a wonderful place for children to play). This land should be allowed to go on providing Ruskin’s students and all those who walk or cycle in the area with a beautiful prospect of small fields full of natural interest.

The city council preserved this green space for Oxford nearly 80 years ago; now that we need such spaces more than ever, we hope they will act again to safeguard Ruskin’s fields.

Veronica Hurst, (On behalf of the Ruskin Fields Group), Headington