BUILDINGS that were once the base of photography pioneer Henry Taunt could be brought back into use as flats.

Berkeley Homes wants to convert the empty buildings on the corner of Cowley Road and Reliance Way into 16 flats.

But concerns have been raised that the proposal would break an historic legal agreement.

The developer has plans for Canterbury House, the former base of Mr Taunt’s business, along with Rivera House, believed to be his former home, and Adams House.

The buildings were left standing empty when a former bus depot was demolished in 2010 to pave the way for 105 student rooms, built by Berkeley.

They have been empty for about 10 years, but Cowley Marsh councillor Saj Malik said using the buildings as flats would break a legal agreement.

Mr Malik said: “In 2000 an application for the Oxford bus garage was made by Berkeley Homes, and as part of that application less than one acre of land was to be given back to the community for employment use.

“The council was supposed to find a developer for the land, but there is no evidence that it put it out to tender. After 10 years it was approached by Berkeley Homes, which said it wanted to put up the student rooms across the road and that it would develop the land.

“My worry is that this plan affects some of that land.”

But Reliance Way resident and fellow councillor Tony Brett said he would prefer to see the buildings brought back into use.

He said: “I’ve never been clear about what the covenant on the site actually means, but I would hope the council has taken appropriate legal advice about the determination of this.

“Sure, it was earmarked for employment use about 10 years ago, but since then we’ve had a recession and Oxford has a housing shortage. These buildings have stood empty for 10 years and I would rather they were put to use.”

He added that he believed Reliance Way could cope with the extra residents.

He said: “Reliance Way is quite a densely packed road as it is and it seems to work.”

Henry Taunt was well-known for his black and white photographs of Oxford and for producing the first pocket guide to the River Thames to be illustrated with photographs. He died in 1922. Tony Joyce, from Oxford Civic Society, said: “We feel that these buildings, which are so strongly associated with the life of Henry Taunt, who was such a pioneering figure in the photographic record of Oxford during his time, should be preserved.”

Oxford City Council said it would not comment for legal reasons, and Berkeley Homes did not respond to requests for a comment.