New £29m Bodleian Library halted

Critics say the new library will ruin the view of Oxford

Controversial plans for a new Bodleian Library in Oxford are now on hold because critics say the new scheme will spoil the city's world-famous skyline.

Fourteen councillors have successfully petitioned for the plans to be debated at a meeting next month.

The council's planning team originally voted in favour of the development, which will be in the Osney Mead area.

The vote was 6-5 on Wednesday to approve plans for the new depository, which will house eight million books.

The Bodleian Library, which stores a copy of almost every book ever printed, is full and needs more space, the university said.

An extra 5,000 books are added to its catalogue each week.

'Sensitive location'

The Bodleian is the main research library for the University of Oxford and occupies several sites around the city.

Its treasures include 10,000 medieval manuscripts, the papers of six prime ministers and the manuscripts of literary classics such as The Wind in the Willows.

Critics of the new building have said the "sensitive location" on a flood plain in the green belt area around Oxford would suffer.

Oxford Preservation Trust, Oxford Civic Society, Friends of North Hinksey Village and Oxford Green Belt Network submitted their reservations to the council.

English Heritage acknowledged that the building "will be visible in some mid and long range views".

But it said it would not object to the proposal if "the city council is satisfied that it has demonstrated that there are no other suitable sites available for a building of this nature".