Sir – I write with reference to the development at 1 Hayfield Road, central North Oxford (Report, March 22).

We would like to note the role played by Oxford City Council’s planning department in this sorry saga.

The council’s planning department persist in allowing changes to the approved plans as and when requested by the developer. These changes, which the council unilaterally determine as ‘non-material’ do not allow residents a voice in response. We think that this is unacceptable and a major worry for all the residents of Oxford who may also find that the council’s planning department decide to ignore contraventions by developers who decide to disregard details within planning consents.

Given that we live in a conservation area, there are clear terms and conditions written into the approval that the planning department are failing to address. Local residents cannot understand why the planning department have decided to take such a laissez-faire attitude to protecting Oxford’s residents from developers.

We would welcome a chance to discuss these issues with senior planners on site. However, the only response the residents have received from the planning department states that they support these unilateral changes to the design and makes it clear that they have no interest in either meeting us or addressing our concerns.

It is local residents who have to live with developments being built across Oxford, but without the planning department doing their job properly we are all in trouble and if they continue to fail in their responsibilities, one could justly argue that the city planning department is simply not fit for purpose.

Harry Hadaway, Spokesman for Hayfield Road Residents’ Association, Oxford