TWO Oxford hotels look to be safe from the immediate threat of demolition.

But the woman who runs one of the hotels believes it is "inevitable" that her landlord, Christ Church, will be back with fresh redevelopment plans.

Christ Church wanted to knock down the River and Westgate hotels, in Botley Road, and build a 34-bedroom hotel, a shop and 17 riverside flats. Christ Church took its case to a Government planning inspector last April, after city councillors rejected the proposals.

But the college has withdrawn its appeal. If it wants to redevelop the sites it will have to submit new plans.

Christ Church treasurer James Lawrie declined to comment on the college's intentions.

But Westgate owner Anne Devlin said she thought it was likely Christ Church would seek to develop the land in the future.

She said: "I've heard the college has lots of sites in Oxford it wants to redevelop and start building in 2010. It leaves us in limbo again."

However, River Hotel owner Pat Jones was celebrating the news.

She said: "That's good news for us. Hopefully the business will be saved, the property will be saved and all the people in this area can keep this bit of heritage."

Built in the 1870s, the River Hotel was the home of former Mayor of Oxford, Thomas Henry Kingerlee. The Westgate Hotel was formerly Dodson's temperance hotel.