A LENGTHY row over a rundown house in Headington has taken another twist.

Oxford City Council’s planning officers have recommended the redevelopment of 29 Old High Street should now go ahead and residents were hoping a successful compromise had been reached.

But on Wednesday, Martin Young, who owns the house, claimed he had submitted another planning application, which includes a taller extension than before.

In February, Mr Young resubmitted a planning application to demolish part of the house and replace it with a reduced, one-storey extension on the advice of council planning officers.

A decision is expected to be made by a committee of city councillors on Tuesday, with council officers looking favourably upon the plans.

In a report, they say: “There is no objection, in principle, to an extension to 29 Old High Street to provide more spacious accommodation commensurate with the generous proportions of the site.

“The site comprises an existing residential plot and the proposed extension would be erected largely at the side of the house where there are existing buildings and structures.

“Part of the proposals are to demolish some of these outbuildings and structures which are of little architectural or conservation value.”

But now Mr Young has said the plans are not what he wants and said he has submitted another application with a taller extension.

He said: “I am trying hard not to be dissatisfied with the council’s offers to accommodate me, but I cannot hide the fact that this planning application does not cut it.”

The house has been empty for more than five years and is in such a bad state of repair that the city council has ordered Mr Young to carry out improvement work.

Mr Young had previously hoped to knock the house down and replace it with five three-storey houses but this caused uproar in Old Headington, a conservation area.

However, he took the issue to a planning inspector on appeal and the council said it would not enforce the improvement order, which ordered him to carry out work by last March, until the appeal had been dealt with.

A planning inspector considered the proposals last August and backed the council’s decision.

But Veronica Hurst, of the Friends of Old Headington, said: “I think it’s fair to say the Friends are cautiously optimistic an acceptable compromise has been reached with the amended version of the plans submitted by Mr Young.

“We welcome the restoration work proposed, and the reduction to a single-storey of much of the new building.”

City councillors will discuss the application made in February on Tuesday at 6pm at the Town Hall.