New Bodleian Library plan fails

Critics claimed the new library would ruin the view of Oxford

Controversial plans to build a £29m book depository for the University of Oxford's world famous Bodleian Library have been turned down.

The proposals for the Osney Mead area, which would house eight million books, were agreed by the city council's planners in a narrow vote in September.

They were then put on hold because critics said the building would ruin the city skyline.

Councillors voted on Monday. The university said it was disappointed.

The library, which has a copy of almost every book printed, is full and has said it needs space to expand.

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

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 and that views of the city would be affected.