A FLAT could be squeezed into an old electricity substation just moments away from a boutique Oxford shopping street.

The old redbrick power station, which is vacant an in a 'state of disrepair', is on a lane called Acer Walk, just off North Parade Avenue in Park Town, North Oxford.

In the future, the vacant building could be transformed into a ground floor artists studio and a one-bedroom flat, if plans just submitted to Oxford City Council are successfully approved.

A planning document said 'the building has fallen into a considerable state of disrepair, and sits uncomfortably within the street-scene'.

And it added that the applicants, Mr and Mrs D Clarkson, would 'look to retain as much of the existing structure as practicable whilst upgrading the building fabric to meet the requirements of the applicant'.

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The ground floor of the old power substation would be converted into an artists studio, with the 'utilitarian' steel door being replaced with a different, but more pleasant steel door.

The building's first floor would be converted into the lower floor of the flat, with plans to repair a broken parapet window over the main entrance as part of this.

The most dramatic outside change would be to the building's flat roof.

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In red: the location of the substation from above. Picture: Google Maps.

This is deemed 'out of character' in a planning statement, and would be replaced by a new angular metal roof to provide a third floor on the building, complete with a private balcony area.

A small tree outside the building's door would need to be cut down according to planning documents.

This would be replaced with another, smaller tree, as the current one is likely to damage the foundations of the building if it continues to grow, according to a specialist tree surveyor's report.

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Acer Walk is a narrow alleyway between two shops: a clothing shop called Barley and a hair salon called Popham Hairdressing.

The area falls within the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area, an part of the city which has special protections under planning law.

The planning application is now open for members of the public and organisations to give their opinions in favour or against it.

For more information, see reference 20/01789/FUL at Oxford City Council's planning website.