A house that broke planning rules has been saved from demolition - but the owner of the almost-finished property has been told to make alterations.

Cherwell District Council's north area planning committee considered several breaches of planning rules, including that the house, 33/34 Merton Street, in Banbury, was built using the wrong colour of bricks.

Planning offices wanted the building to be demolished to protect the Grimsbury conservation area.

But the committee agreed to a reprieve, if the owner, Mr Hussain, who lives nearby in the Causeway, retiled the roof in Welsh slate, reopened a car port, and made alterations to the brickwork and windows.

Planning permission was granted for the building in August 2005.

The problems were reported to the planning department by the council's building control section earlier this year.

Michael Gibbard, the council's executive member for planning and housing, said: "We felt we had no option but to take enforcement action."