THE traders, residents including myself would like to thank the councillors who were brave enough to reject the horrendous proposal to redevelop the car park in St Clement’s.

I would also like to pour shame on those misguided enough who put money over quality (or lack of it!) and tried to push it through the Planning Committee on Wednesday evening.

Interestingly, it is our understanding that the latter were the same councillors who took the decision to sell the site in the first place.

Surely a conflict of interests?

We appreciate the desire of the council to maximise its assets for the benefit of the wider community, but not at the cost of destroying the special quality of the mixed residential, educational and commercial neighbourhood that exists in this unique part of Oxford.

We call on the council to resist the temptation to call in and review the decision of the West Area Planning committee and to look very carefully again at what it is seeking to achieve.

We suggest it starts with proper engagement of the local community. What an opportunity for advancing the proposed new model of “neighbourhood planning” espoused by the Local Government Secretary in The Guardian recently.

Here is a golden opportunity for Oxford to return to the forefront of planning where it was 40 years ago. Let us hope it is not wasted.

ALAN GROSVENOR, on behalf of St Clement’s Traders and Residents, St Clement’s Street, Oxford