A THREE -storey block of flats will be built in a yard behind shops, despite fears over a narrow access lane.

The six two-bedroom flats will be built at 17 Between Towns Road, Cowley – behind a branch of Betfred and the Oxford Gentlemen's Barbers shop – on a patch of land currently used as an informal car park away down a narrow lane.

The application, by developer Mike Bott, was approved by councillors on Oxford City Council’s east area planning committee on Wednesday night.

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Oxford Mail:

An overhead plan of the new flats. Picture: Oxford City Council

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Planning officers confirmed there was no way the entrance could be addressed.

David Henwood, an Independent councillor was due to speak against the application, but was unable to attend.

Oxford Mail:

A design drawing of the flats. Picture: Oxford City Council

There are also plans to renovate a former Conservative club next door, converting it into 221 student flats.

The application to build the flats was originally made for the site in 2015, but with conditions attached meaning the developer would have to pay the council to fund affordable housing somewhere else in the city.

Changes to planning law mean that developers who want to build less than 10 homes no longer have to make this payment.

Because of this, the application has returned to the committee for another look without the condition of paying towards affordable housing.

For more about the plan for six flats, visit Oxford City Council's planning webpage and search reference 18/02918/OUT.