A ‘monolithic’ student block has been given the go-ahead in West Oxford.

Oxford city councillors voted six to one in favour, with two abstentions, for allowing the controversial 74-room block to be built on waste land in Osney Lane at a meeting of the west area planning committee on Wednesday.

But last night residents of Mill Street, whose homes the development will back onto, said they were furious at the decision to allow the building, which they claim will be one metre higher than their houses and block views from their gardens.

They are now trying to get the decision referred to a review committee for reconsideration.

The buildings would be for students at nearby Bellerbys College, a UK university preparation college for foreign students.

The group of residents have employed a graphic artist to mock up what the proposed building will look like according to the plans.

Mike Magee, who lives in Mill Street, said: “This major three story monolithic structure will overlook our houses.

“The fact it will be raised by one metre because it’s being built on a flood plain will make it even more dominating.

“It will take light from our back gardens and the architecture is utterly out of character with a Victorian street.

“It will also destroy our view of a leafy outlook and the view we will have us peering at the students and the students peering at us.”

Amanda Whiting, who has lived in Mill Street for 22 years, added: “It will also change the nature of the present community, increasing the population of Mill Street by 25 per cent, meaning that the proportion of students in the street will be about 50 per cent.

“The sites and housing development plan document is working towards a policy that limits the number of students in any street in Oxford to much less than this.

“The strip of land is home to shrews, hedgehogs, grass snakes, bats, badgers and a wide range of insects including various species of bumblebee.

“There are many trees in the area including cherry, fruit and other deciduous trees.

Nik Lyzba, of the agent John Phillips Planning Consultancy, denied the buildings would be overbearing as they were more than 33 metres way from the back of the homes, with an inset top floor and windows facing away from nearby houses.

He said: “It’s a building which takes account of its context.

“It’s very clear that some local residents, not all, think that the site doesn’t go far enough. That wasn’t the view of councillors.”