AUTHORS of a report that will inform the future of development in Oxford’s historic core are still seeking residents’ feedback.

There are just days left to comment on an Oxford City Council consultation, asking residents what they think is special and worth protecting within the Central Oxford Conservation Area.

Comments will help to shape a new document used by the council, planning applicants and the public to assess proposals for new development in the city.

The last of two consultation events was held at Oxford Town Hall on Saturday, where people read a draft of the document – the Central Conservation Area Appraisal – and gave feedback.

Jane Carlton Smith, who lives in East Oxford, was among those who attended.

She said: “I have lived here for 34 years and have seen lots of [development] happening, but I’m concerned by the new policy of layering to get different heights and view cones.

“I would hate to see Oxford’s skyline damaged by bad architecture or high-rises.”

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The retired environmental researcher described the Oxford skyline as ‘absolutely unique’, calling for it to be made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ms Carlton Smith added that the city’s charm was not just in the old, but in some of the new buildings, such as the Blavatnik School of Government in Jericho and the rooftop of the new Westgate Centre.

The cyclist, who leads bike rides around Oxford, said there is 'so much to love' in the city.

The appraisal is the first assessment of the conservation area since it was designated in 1971.

It seeks to identify the special character and appearance of the conservation area, and detail guidance and actions to protect and enhance that area.

Compiled by Alan Baxter Ltd with help from council officers, the draft appraisal refers to traffic, population growth, changing lifestyles, new regulation and the evolution of Oxford University.

The draft added: “Success can be a double-edged sword: the investment and development Oxford attracts can generate pressures which alter the very characteristics which makes the city attractive to investment in the first place."

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The document hails Oxford city centre as ‘one of the masterpieces of European architectural heritage’ and ‘one of the most beautiful places in Europe’.

It adds: “The roofscape and skyline of the conservation area is perhaps the most animated, joyful and architecturally rich roofscape in the country.

“It is also precious and fragile, and easily eroded.”

The draft highlights examples of development that are ‘at odds’ with the city centre.

It said some areas have been blighted by ‘sterile 20th century redevelopment that has erased almost all trace of historic character, often on large scale…with lifeless frontages.”

It condemns Worcester Street car park as an ‘ugly void in the townscape’ and Gloucester Green as a place that feels ‘divorced from the city centre’.

Though it hails the beauty of most Oxford University buildings and green spaces, it criticised others, including the ‘starkly horizontal banding’ on New College’s Sacher Building and the cladding on the St Cross Library extension.

The report discusses how more than six million visitors a year visit the city centre, adding: "The sheer number of visitors on the central streets is threat to the quality of experience and the sense of place, and could unbalance the functional use of the centre.”

To comment, visit consultation.oxford.gov.uk before it closes at 23:59pm on Friday.