PLANS to knock down a former 19th-century coaching inn in East Oxford have been rejected by a planning inspector.

In June last year, members of Oxford City Council's east area committee turned down a controversial scheme to demolish the dilapidated pub to make way for flats and a restaurant - against the advice of their planning officers.

Now their decision has been vindicated after an appeal by the developers was dismissed.

Green city councillor and committee chairman Nuala Young said: "We are really pleased.

"People were really concerned about what was happening to St Clement's, and I really wanted to make sure the area did not go bit by bit because it is an important entry point to the city."

The former Coach and Horses pub has been empty for a decade and is in a serious state of disrepair.

Construction company Linfield Ltd wanted to replace it with a four-storey building, with a ground-floor restaurant and seven flats above.

City council planning officers recommended the scheme be approved on the grounds it would "accord with the special character and appearance of the conservation area".

But councillors disagreed.

Mrs Young said she believed the pub, as a historic former coaching inn, made a positive contribution to the conservation area, and the proposed building would have been overbearing to properties behind it.

She added: "A lot of people remember it as a very thriving pub.

"The only trouble was it was beginning to be frequented by 'ladies of the night', which was why it was closed down.

"It has been allowed to become dilapidated, but it is still structurally sound."

Mrs Young said she hoped the inspector's finding in the councillors' favour would give them more confidence in making decisions against officers recommendations where they disagreed.

Residents who had fought against the proposed development were pleased the threat of the building being demolished had been taken away for the second time.

Tahnee Parkinson, who lives in nearby Boulter Street, said: "I think that building has a lot of potential, but not potential for what they were suggesting.

"It has become a part of St Clement's and I am pleased it has been turned down."

"I would like to see it done up as somewhere for the homeless or as a youth hostel."

In his conclusion, inspector Andrew Jeyes said: "The proposed building would not preserve or enhance the character of the conservation area and would have a harmful impact on the residents.

"The demolition of the building has not been justified."

Henry Venners, of the John Phillips Planning Consultancy. which handled the appeal for Linfield, said: "They're very disappointed with the decision."