A well-known Oxford landmark is to get a make-over.

Hartwell's car sales, showroom and workshops at Seacourt Tower, Botley, will be transferred to Oxford Motor Park in Langford Lane, Kidlington, early next year and replaced by offices.

The front of the building and the tower will undergo radical changes. The project is expected to take between 12 and 16 months to complete.

Architectural alterations to the tower have been the subject of lengthy discussions between Hartwell and the Vale of White Horse District Council but now both sides are close to agreement on the final design details.

Discussions have revolved around two major issues - the visual impact of changes to the tower and the traffic implications.

The district council favours a four-storey extension to replace the front part of the existing car canopy between the tower and Midland House.

This, say planners, will improve the street scene because it will remove from view the current "sea of parked cars".

The council's report adds: "With complementary landscaping including a row of trees, it is considered that the proposal would contribute significantly to the character and appearance of the site."

The county council has no objections, subject to a reduction in car parking spaces and the provision of cycle parking.

The planned move of the Hartwell Ford showroom to Kidlington follows the firm's takeover of the former City Motors Vauxhall dealership at Wolvercote roundabout, which is moving to Kidlington later this year.