A CAR showroom and garage could be demolished and turned into two blocks of flats.

Plans have been submitted to Cherwell District Council to knock down Kidlington Garage on Bicester Road.

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The proposal, put forward by Sweetcroft Homes, would see two blocks providing 15 flats in total.

The site is home to car dealership Oxon Car Centre which moved in last month with full knowledge of the proposals.

A member of staff at Oxon Car Centre said: "We knew about the situation in December which was when we moved in. We are here until the plan gets permission and we will look for somewhere else to go.”

The planned block at the front of the site would have three storeys and contain 12 two-bed flats, while the building at the back would be single storey and have three one-bed flats.

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One car parking space is provided for each residential unit, along with three visitor parking spaces and two bike stores allowing a minimum of two bikes per flat to be stored.

Amenity spaces and balconies would also be featured, with green spaces incorporated around the site.

The site sits next to similar flat developments and Sweetcroft Homes says the project ‘should not adversely affect current privacy levels of neighbouring properties’.

Green Cherwell District councillor for Kidlington South Ian Middleton said he would welcome the project particularly as the previous owners had created a parking area without planning permission in 2020.

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He said: "I think the proposals for the site will be a positive improvement for the residents who overlook it and I hope the new owners will include some sensitive re-landscaping of the area both for the new residents and those who have put up with the mess created by the previous owners."

Mr Middleton has concerns about the developers' proposed parking provision as there has been a 'fair share of intensive development' in the area resulting in an increase in vehicles.

He added: "This has created a lot of problems with parking around the area, which now extends to people parking on grass verges which is both unsightly and damaging to the those areas. 

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"So I very much hope that OCC Highways will be looking closely at the amount of parking provision provided on site to make sure it's consummate with need."

To view the full planning application, go to planningregister.cherwell.gov.uk/ and search planning reference 20/02405/F.

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