As the Westgate planning application went before the planning committee, I addressed the committee as the local councillor for the area (Carfax), mentioning several issues. I focussed mainly on the travesty which is the lack of affordable housing. This is what I said:

Oxfordshire Green Party have examined the latest outline application for redeveloping Westgate. Our views on the current application remain largely unchanged from the previous comments to the Westgate Alliance. We do not consider this a sustainable proposal, and its disadvantages outweigh by far its benefits. 

Oxfordshire Green Party have been opposed to a major shopping development at the Westgate from the earliest proposals put forward. This land is public land, and was historically housing.  The basis for the decision to make this an area for commercial development rests on an idea that Oxford should be more regionally commercially competitive; but we believe that this is not the best use of this central, piece of precious public land.