AN old builders' merchants which was going to be demolished to make way for a modern building with a ‘ski slope’ roof could instead become a flat.

Robin Swailes Design and Development, the company that owns the old plumbers' merchant shop at 33-37 Stockmore Street, was refused planning permission for a large office building at the site earlier this year.

The company has now sent documents to Oxford City Council for prior notification of its plans to add an extra floor to the building instead, so that two upper storeys could be used as a one-bedroom flat.

READ AGAIN: Office building with ski slope roofs planned for East Oxford is refused

Plans for the office were refused at the August meeting of the city council’s west area planning committee.

The build would have had an entrance on Temple Street to the north, and plans showed it would have had an undulating 'wobbly-shaped' roof, some of which was covered in glass, and other parts in turf and plants.

Residents of the road were opposed to it and said the tall new building with its odd roof would be out of character with the area and would be overbearing.

A spokesman for the owner argued at the time the a new building would benefit nearby residents, as construction and delivery noise in the area would stop.

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