A £60M TRANSFORMATION of a Cowley retail park hangs in the balance after the county council blasted its plans as ‘unacceptable’.

Transport boss David Nimmo-Smith said 'a lot of questions' need to be answered over potential traffic problems as the highways authority objected to the Templars Square project on the grounds it could clog up nearby roads.

Developer New River wants to build more than 200 new homes, shops, a hotel and two new restaurants and plans to demolish the 470-space Castle Car Park.

When plans for the ‘once-in-a-generation’ scheme were first revealed last year there was a flurry of opposition from residents, with some fearing the extent of the development could put a huge strain on traffic.

Councillor Nimmo-Smith said: “We have a lot of questions to ask about the details, to make sure that everything works, certainly from a highways point of view.

“It is unacceptable as it stands because the details haven’t been agreed. Our officers will be talking to the development team to figure these out.

“We don’t like having to put in an objection but we do have issues with some of the details.”

While the county council is only a consultee in its role as the highways authority, its intervention has proved influential in similar projects.

In 2014, Vale of White Horse's planning committee agreed with the authority over its traffic fears when considering the overhaul of West Way shopping centre in Botley.

In rejecting the West Way plans 13-0, councillors said highways fears were 'overriding'.

With Templars Square, council transport officers said that a reduction in public car parking as a result of the project could lead to car parks operating at 100 per cent capacity.

This would, according to officers, lead to cars spilling out of the car parks and causing jams in streets including Barns Road.

The report states: “The county council is concerned that at this level of use, car parks tend to operate less efficiently with queuing within and beyond the car park more likely.

“It would not be acceptable for vehicles to block access along Barns Road, for example."

The council called for more discussion on improving the traffic flow such as the introduction of a new Controlled Parking Zone, and also warned the bus network could be hit by greater strain, as well as air quality being reduced.

Education officers raised their own concerns over the capacity of schools to meet the influx of new residents to the area that the proposed 225 new homes and 71-bed hotel would bring.

Business and skills, meanwhile, raised no objection and argued that it will create 57 full time jobs and a number of construction jobs while it is being built.

Neighbours have already raised their own fears over the development when it first surfaced last year.

Robin Summers, a resident of Rymers Lane, said: “The increase in population will put pressure on the existing public services and infrastructure.

“The construction itself is hideous and will be detrimental to the aesthetic of the area. The building is too high.

“The traffic would increase the risk to school children in the area because the roads at the top of Rymers Lane are already very busy.”

Seamus Reilly, of Hockmore Street, said: “There has been a noticeable increase in traffic, resulting in constant bottlenecks, and illegal parking since the recent development on Barns Road."

Arts and music centre The Ark T Centre, based at Crowell Road, also spoke out and argued the new shopping centre would impact on the calm and quiet of the existing conservation area at Beauchamp Lane.

In response to the fresh setback, Jamie Whitfield Development Manager at NewRiver said that he remained 'entirely confident' in the success of the project.

He said: “NewRiver continues to work with individual parties including the city and county council on queries raised on the proposals. During several meetings over the last two years we have addressed queries and continue to do so as required.

"We remain entirely confident in the scheme that has been submitted, which was developed in close consultation with local residents, the city and county council.

"This huge inward investment is an opportunity to regenerate Cowley and enhance its current offer.

"The potential introduction of a Controlled Parking Zone will be determined by the local authority and subject to local consultation, as is any introduction of a cycle lane.

"However traffic calming measures are being considered as part of the improvements to the wider infrastructure.

"We look forward to continuing to work with all parties to deliver an exceptional development”.

Oxford City Council will make the final decision and is yet to determine the application.