A PLANNING inspector has given Oxford City Council just over 24 hours to convince her to go ahead with the Barton West development in its current form.

Shelagh Bussey expressed her concerns about plans to lower the speed limit along the A40 and create a pedestrian crossing across it.

At yesterday’s hearing Dr Bussey, who is appointed by the Government to examine the plans, said the city council would have to put her fears to rest tomorrow.

If no conclusion is reached, Dr Bussey said she would hold two hearings in September to discuss the issue.

Dr Bussey does not expect to release her decision until October.

The city council has also said it would lose £6m on the development if it were to comply with its target of making half of the housing affordable.

It demands other developers to have 50 per cent of any homes they build as affordable housing.

Addressing the hearings into the Barton Area Action Plan the city council’s principle planner Laura Goddard said: “To have 50 per cent would be unviable and would generate a negative land value of £6m.”

The hearing into the city council’s plans to develop its land to the west of Barton continue today at the Town Hall from 10am.