A huge new area of storage space will come to an industrial road in Oxford while the landowners spend "10 years" deciding what to build there.

Applicant Tom Hesp applied to Oxford City Council in March for permission to transform a disused area into 22,375sqm of storage space in the Garsington Road industrial area in Temple Cowley.

Mr Hesp had permission granted for the development on Wednesday (July 24) this week.

READ MORE: Plan to demolish A423 bridge prompts Oxford traffic concern

Garsington Road.Garsington Road. (Image: Google Maps.)

A planning paper says: "It is anticipated that the proposed use will be on a temporary basis, until discussions with neighbouring landowners yield a coordinated strategy for wider redevelopment.

"As such, the proposed temporary use is projected to last for a period of 10 years.

"The building's age and inefficiency has resulted in a lack of interest from prospective tenants regardless of there being an extant permission for works to improve its condition."

It adds the applicant aims to develop a "comprehensive masterplan" in the meantime which brings forward a "modern employment-led intensification of the wider site".

Proposed elevations.Proposed elevations. (Image: Oxford City Council.)

This comes as "alternative ways" have been explored of putting the site back into active use in the short-term with "local market demand for open storage space" being identified.

The applicant says given the absence of a confirmed prospective tenant that the open storage facility is proposed as a 24-hour operation.

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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