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The university’s £11.5m health care plans under fire

St John’s College and Jericho Community Association have voiced fierce opposition against university plans to build a new three-storey health centre on Walton Street in Jericho.

The proposals include a new building to relocate and amalgamate three existing health-care facilities which are currently housed in much more cramped settings.

The £11.5 million project will also see a large three-storey modern building take the place of the former Radcliffe Infirmary.

The controversial structure will also accommodate the University Department of Public Health Care and give new office space to the University Press Office.

St John’s College authorities is objecting to the build predominantly on grounds of the noise, pollution and disruption that it will inevitably cause.

Students have not voiced opposition to the plans and many have reported that they did not even know the new building was being built.

Jericho residents have complained about the number of parking spaces that the new building would require as well as the fact that it would block their view of the 240-year-old Radcliffe Observatory.

Paul Hornby, Vice-Chairman of the Jericho Community Association has said, “Jericho needs a health centre but the building is too high” and has complained that “the university has made no effort to listen to complaints.”

Neither St John’s nor the Residents’ Association have confirmed that they will actively appeal the decision.

However, whether the various objections affect the final decision or not, it seems the university is at least engaging with the concerns. St John’s College Bursar told Cherwell on Friday “we had a very friendly and helpful discussion with the University Estates Office this morning.”

A University spokesperson commented, “The impact of the overall development of the site should be significantly less than when the site was historically used as a hospital.

“The masterplan for the site has been carefully designed to protect the setting of the observatory and frame new views of the tower.

“The university has been careful to take account of all comments on this application and have carried out a number of pre-application consultations.”

Meetings are currently going on with the various branches of the Oxford City Council and the plans will be finalised on 28th April.

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