A PROPERTY developer has taken his bid to build three “horrible” 1970s chalets in a conservation area to a government inspector.

Martin Young has threatened to build the chalets in the grounds of 29 Old High Street, Headington, to prove a point to Oxford City Council.

For several years he has been battling with the council over the site. He has planning permission for partial demolition of the house, which has been empty for more than five years, and the construction of extensions to make it a three-bedroom property.

But he claims he does not want that scheme and only went ahead at the suggestion of city council planning officers.

He has since applied to build a larger extension but this was rejected by the council.

Mr Young says he can implement a 38-year-old planning application which he claims is still valid because he began the work when he bought the house.

In 1974, planning permission was given to turn 29 Old High Street into two flats and build three chalets on the site.

Every planning application, when granted, is given a deadline for work to begin and Mr Young thinks the small amount of work he started in the 1970s is enough to keep this application current.

The council rejects this claim but he has taken it to appeal, so a public inquiry will now be held to find out if the chalets can be built.

Mr Young said: “I’m right and the council is wrong. I just want the permission validated as it gives a greater site value.

“The chalets are horrible but it is existing planning permission. I did enough work to implement it and it didn’t run out.

“I would prefer to build my five-bedroom single house but they have refused that.”

Mr Young bought the house in 1976 but it has fallen into disrepair and the city council put an improvement order on it.

However, the council said it would not enforce the order pending his appeal of the refusal of his plans.

A spokesman for Oxford City Council, said: “Mr Young submitted an application for a certificate of lawfulness to build housing on the site that was granted planning permission in the 1970s.

“The council refused the plans as it did not accept that any works approved had begun before the permission expired.

Mr Young has appealed the decision and this will be decided by a government inspector. ”

Veronica Hurst, chairman of the Friends of Old Headington, said: “It is a pity the conservation area is caught up in another of the strategic moves in Mr Young’s campaign to coerce councillors to approve a large inappropriate development.

“We urge the council to persuade Mr Young to comply with the notice requiring him to put the property into good order.”