Sir - The three-stage destruction of the public garden at Bonn Square is now two-thirds complete. Following years of deliberate neglect by the city council, the men with chainsaws have done their work. It only remains to concrete and pave over the surface.

Michael Crofton-Briggs' summary of the planning process (Letters, January 11) that led to this situation did not mention a curious anomaly.

In 2005 Oxford City Council launched a competition to re-design the square. Architect Graeme Massie's design was chosen, and his proposal can be seen on the council website today. Strikingly, it includes these words - 'The existing trees make a significant contribution to the character of Bonn Square. We propose a considered grove of trees adjacent to New Inn Hall Street. This will incorporate the majority of significant existing trees and will be supplemented by additional Limes, Sycamore and Trees of Heaven.' So the original Graeme Massie design did not call for chopping down all the existing trees! The design chosen by the jury panel is not the one inflicted upon us.

Mr Crofton-Briggs says 'We consulted the public - we know from the comments received the majority of the public warmly welcome the current proposal.' An important question then for Mr Crofton-Briggs - were the public consulted on the original design, the one now on the city council website, which retained the mature trees? Or the later one, with the mature trees removed?

More broadly council leader John Goddard owes us all an explanation. How did this travesty of a process lead us to lose what once was, and could have been again, a green oasis at the heart of the city?

And why is it to be replaced with something that with its hard surface, tall lamp posts and flags, resembles a petrol station forecourt?

Chris Brewer, Oxford