A hardware shop that is being ‘forced to closed’ due to the Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme (LTNs) has been listed on a property website.
Silvester’s Stores on Magdalen Road may now be turned into housing.
According to the listing, the 112-year-old shop is due to continue trading until a new buyer is found.
The property is currently priced at £750,000 on Rightmove - a UK based online property portal.
Carter Jonas estate agents claim the site is an excellent opportunity for new residential development.
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Rightmove state that a pre-application submission has been made to Oxford City Council who confirm a change in the use of the site from a shop to a residential dwelling would be supported.
But this would be subject to the consideration of detailed matters.
Owner, Stuart Silvester has blamed the shop’s difficulties on the introduction of the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods scheme.
The shop is located just one block down from one of the first bollards installed in May 2022 in East Oxford.
Mr Silvester said in June 2022: “It’s an absolute disaster to be honest.
“Thankfully the business has come through two world wars and the pandemic, but LTNs have hit traders the most.
“They didn't listen to the traders. God knows how people are going to afford to keep running.
“Larger suppliers can't get down here. Things like compost deliveries and logs come on big trucks but they're too big a wagon.
"It’s not worth me being here. I'll be running at deficit."
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The building currently consists of three floors with the shop on the ground floor and residential accommodation above it.
It is a three-bedroom property with various out buildings that have been incorporated into the shop.
Mr Silvester took over the business, which was set up by his family in 1910, from his late father in 2016.
On closing up, the father-of-two said: “I have been giving it a lot of thought for a few months because I know what’s coming.
“It’s been a difficult few years, but this [the LTN scheme] has made my mind up.
He said: "I'm going to wind business up, I'll go through to March as that'll be the end of my financial year.
In response, a spokesperson from Oxfordshire County Council said: “We know that some residents and businesses have faced challenges as these traffic calming measures settle in.
"The east Oxford low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have been implemented as a trial, which allows us to continually monitor them on a site-by-site basis and evaluate their impact.
"We have spoken to business owners throughout the development and implementation of the experimental east Oxford LTNs and regular meetings will continue with the business community to monitor the impact of the LTNs as the trials progress.
"We will also be offering one-to-one support to businesses looking to adapt their delivery strategies.”
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