A plan to turn offices next to a controversial plaque in the city centre into student accommodation has been withdrawn.

Oriel College at the University of Oxford submitted the proposal last month to change offices in King Edward Street into students homes, providing 11 en-suite units of accommodation with cycle parking.

The new homes would have been right next to a plaque commemorating Cecil Rhodes, an empire builder who was alumnus and donor to the college.

The plaque in King Edward Street.The plaque in King Edward Street.

READ MORE: Fears Oxford University is 'dominating map' of the city

This comes as Oriel College continues to display a statue of the figure on its building facing the High Street which some protesters have demanded ought to be taken down due to Mr Rhodes' links to the slave trade.

But a notice of withdrawal was issued yesterday (July 24) confirming the plans for new college accommodation next to the plaque had been withdrawn.

The Cecil Rhodes statue in High Street.The Cecil Rhodes statue in High Street.

The proposed change of use would have involved predominantly internal alterations to the existing offices which would not affect the external appearance of the building.

An Historic England map of listed buildings refers to the Rhodes plaque as a "fine example of an outdoor commemorative plaque by a notable sculptor, Onslow Whiting, dating to 1906".

It cites historical interest "for the association of the plaque and 6 King Edward Street with Cecil Rhodes, a nationally and internationally important individual, whose life and work impacted fundamentally on the story of British imperialism in southern Africa in the late 19th century".

7 King Edward Street.7 King Edward Street. (Image: Google Maps.)

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About the author

Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county. 

She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.

Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi