SUMMERTOWN residents fear they are being abandoned after a proposed community centre at Diamond Place was left out of a council strategy up to 2020.

It had been hoped the car park and existing building would be redeveloped to include shops, housing, and a new community hub by 2019.

But a recently-published city council strategy for community centres for the next four years made no mention of the North Oxford Association's building, sparking fears it could be lost.

NOA member Rodney Stableford said: "The strategy talks a lot about areas such as Rose Hill and providing facilities for them.

"People might not think it is as needed in Summertown but there are still elderly, lonely people in the area and the centre is vital for them.

"We can't just move into sheds for a few years and at worst we could end up having nowhere for the association to go."

Executive board member for planning Alex Hollingsworth reassured residents their community centre was safe but had been left out as Oxford University was yet to find an alternative location for its exam hall – a stumbling block for the project.

He said: "It's one of those things where the first piece needs to be put in place and that lies with the University.

"The wording of the Supplementary Planning Document, which was adopted last year, is very clear on this.

"New leisure and community facilities should be multi-functional, with small and large rooms capable of accommodating a large range of uses.

"The existing community centre is popular and well used and the new community facilities must be available for the existing community association to run, and that will be the case."

In a blueprint for the development, last year Oxford City Council revealed the site should be a mix of housing and shops, with an enlarged Ferry Leisure Centre, GP practice and community centre – run by North Oxford Association – "at the heart".

Summertown city councillor Andrew Gant said the community centre's omission from the strategy was a concern.

He said: "It creates uncertainty and that's what the trustees of the association are feeling too.

"I don't think it's as if the development and community centre won't materialise but it has created some anxiety.

"Nothing has happened in months but I think once the University finds somewhere I'm sure they will go and things will get started."

Up to 50 per cent of the properties at the site would ideally be two-bedroom homes, according to the council and half of the homes built would be affordable housing.

But progress on the scheme hinges on Ewert House, which is north of the car park, and owned by Oxford University, which uses it for its Department for Continuing Education.