Port Meadow could get a giant trellis

The University student housing block which has blighted the view of the ‘dreaming spires’ from Port Meadow has missed out on a major architectural award. On August 29 it came a close runner-up, out of hundreds of nominations, for the Carbuncle Cup, a national competition for the ugliest new building in the UK.

The University is struggling to conceal its creation. It is talking about planting more trees, though these would take 15 years to grow eight metres, when the buildings are 18 metres tall. This is assuming they survive: previous tree plantations were eaten by the horses. Another option is to grow plants up a giant trellis.

The Council for the Protection of Rural England is seeking a judicial review of the decision to proceed with the building without having carried out an environmental impact assessment. The next stage is a hearing in the High Court on ­October 23.

Meanwhile the City Council’s efforts to come to a conclusion on whether or not permission was given correctly has been slowed by the need for more legal opinions.

The University is pressing on regardless and moving students into the building. The City Council says the University will be doing so at its own risk. More information from: [url=http://www.justgiving.com/portmeadow/]http://www.justgiving.com/portmeadow/[/url]