A HOTEL owner in Boars Hill has abandoned his plans to flatten the building to build million- pound homes on the site.

Businessman Edward Adams bought the Foxcombe Lodge Hotel in 2010 and hoped to bulldoze it to build four luxury five-bedroomed detached houses.

But his plans for the site in Fox Lane were rejected by Vale of White Horse District Council.

Mr Adams said yesterday he is now in the process of selling the hotel, which is still operating, to an Abingdon buyer. He hopes to complete the sale early next year.

He said: “I’m selling it because it is very difficult to make money in today’s environment from a small hotel in Oxford.

“It was making a small profit, but a developer was offering the right money to take it over.

“I will be sad to leave, but there are other opportunities.”

The building may not have been saved from the bulldozers, as its future owners submitted a planning application to the district council last week to build their own home.

The hotel, which has 19 ensuite bedrooms, two bars, a restaurant and conference rooms, would be knocked down to make way for a five-bedroomed house.

The modern rectangular house designed by Wheatley-based architects The Anderson Orr Partnership would also feature a music room.

A change of use application to switch the hotel to a residential property was granted in 2008.

The application, by Hinksey Hill-based JPPD planners, said: “The scheme can be seen as a positive addition to the continued evolution of the Boars Hill area.

“Many existing plots have been developed, extended or replaced throughout the course of history and the application strives to maintain the character of the area with high quality architectural design.

“This proposal for Foxcombe Lodge presents the opportunity to replace the existing hotel building, which is of limited architectural quality and out of place with the residential area.

“The new dwelling presents a high-quality solution with contemporary design.”

The area covered by the new home will be 41 per cent smaller than the hotel.