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The site where the development is planned

DEVELOPERS wanting to knock down a block of buildings in Oxford to make way for student housing are taking their case to appeal.

Permission to demolish buildings along Cowley Road, including the Majestic Wine Warehouse, Mr Clutch garage, Nabeel Fashion and Fabrics, the Tattoo Museum and Lionel's Tattoo Parlour, was refused in January.

Applicants, Greenings (Oxford) and Bisham Electronics, want to put up a four-storey block, with 125 student flats.

However, permission was refused because of concerns it would cause overdevelopment of the area.

The firms have appealed and the case will be decided by a planning inspector.

Tattooist Lionel Titchener said: "This appeal makes no difference to me, because I'm not moving. They will have to build round me.

"I have been here for so long it would be silly for me to up and move."

Ayub Khan, who owns Nabeel Fashion and Fabrics, said he and his wife would be prepared to move "if they make it worth my while" - but did not believe that was likely.

He added: "I'm not keen on selling it. But I don't have a problem with the plans."

Only three objections were received to the original planning application, one of which was from Colin Dobson, of Glanville Road.

He said: "It's already full up with cars.

"It's absolutely absurd to put a huge block of flats like that in a suburban area."

But teacher Hannah Forder-Ball, 27, of Tyler Row, and Oxford Brookes University student Julia Hayes, 20, said many other people were also concerned.

Mrs Forder-Ball said: "We don't support this, because there's a large amount of student accommodation in the area already and the infrastructure is insufficient to deal with that."

Miss Hayes thought the location for the proposed flats was "terrible".

She said: "We need more local businesses.

"Cowley Road is so colourful and this is another bit that's going to go."

Brookes student Kristine Cimane, 23, of Glanville Road, said: "The development would be nicer than having a scary building, which we'd have to walk past at night.

"Parking should also be better than for a normal residential development."

The appeal is set to be decided at an informal hearing, the date of which is yet to be fixed.

Peter Uzzell, of John Phillips Planning Consultancy, which is handling the appeal for the developers, said: "We were obviously upset with the original decision the council made, particularly in view of the fact it was contrary to officers' recommendations.

"We are hopeful, but it is an uncertain process and we will await the outcome with interest."

6:20am Friday 16th May 2008

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