Sir – Nothing was hidden from councillors when we decided last year to approve new student flats in Roger Dudman Way, next to the railway and overlooking Port Meadow (Report, March 21).
The report on balance supported the University accommodation but all the information was there.
No fewer than seven paragraphs spelt out the implications of the building and the visual impact. There was even mention of the views of St Barnabas Church tower from the river towpath. We gave approval with our eyes open and with all the information before us. At the time there was little public objection.
The impact on views from Port Meadow was weighed against the benefits of the scheme and the mitigation proposed.
What weighed with me was the desperate need for student housing, the effective use of a brown-field site and the support of Natural England.
For most of the year the flats will be partly hidden by trees and hedges.
I now look forward to hearing next month what extra steps might be taken to make the development even more acceptable.
But we have to make good use of every inch of Oxford’s space and support the needs of our universities, as well as protecting our city’s vital green spaces. I think we have done that.
John Tanner, Board Member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford
City councillor for Littlemore and county councillor for Isis