PLANS submitted for the third time to convert an old school into flats have sparked concern from people in Wolvercote.

Under a scheme lodged with Oxford City Council by Mark Clutterbuck of East Hanney, The Old School in First Turn would be turned into six one-bed flats.

Apex Construction, acting as Mr Clutterbuck’s agent, said it was currently being used for offices and storage and was difficult to rent “due to its size, location and unique building layout”.

Mr Clutterbuck’s business, John Booksellers Ltd, traded from the building between 1975 and 2007 and before that it was used as a school and library.

Documents submitted by Apex Construction said: “We are hoping to enhance the full potential of the existing buildings.”

There would be three parking spaces at the front of the building, as well as cycle parking spaces for each flat.

And soundproofing – including triple glazing and sound-blocking walls – would reduce the impact of nearby church bells, the application said, after concerns were previously raised.

It is the third time plans have been put forward by Mr Clutterbuck to build flats.

In 2005 plans to demolish the building and replace it with a three-storey block of 12 flats were withdrawn after the city council raised concerns about its impact on views and parking.

And in 2006 plans to convert it into six flats over two floors with six parking spaces were withdrawn as well after safety issues about access. City council planning officer Helen Munro said a narrow side passage to access the flats – which would have been a minimum of 25sq m each inside – next to a waste area “would result in a poor external living environment”.

The local authority’s building control department said the means of escape if a fire happened were “not acceptable”.

There was also concern from St Peter’s Church that future residents would complain about the regular ringing of its bells unless soundproofing was included. The latest scheme would see three flats on each floor of the two-storey building. But neighbours claim there is “nothing in the new plans” to address objections made to the 2006 proposals.

Graham Jones of Wolvercote Neighbourhood Forum said: “It does look as if this may squeeze too much on one site bearing in mind this is a road that already has parking constraints. It is opposite Wolvercote Primary School and next to the post office so there are some concerns.”

Dr Andrew Clayton of Old Church House, next to the site, wrote in comments to the city council he was concerned about noise and also windows in the flats that would overlook his garden.

He also said there was not enough parking if each tenant owned a car, with the possibility for 12 cars if two tenants lived in each flat.

A consultation on the plans ends on August 24. Ref: 15/01902/FUL