A BID to make Oxford's famous 'shark house' a protected part of the city skyline is expected to be lodged this month.

The team behind Headington's neighbourhood plan are understood to be days away from submitting their application to the Oxford Heritage Asset Register.

The register aims to 'conserve and enhance local character' and could protect the shark house for decades to come.

The plan team are also hoping to one day put Barclays Bank on London Road, St Andrew’s Primary School and other local landmarks on the register.

Headington councillor Mohammed Altaf-Kahn said the application was potentially days away from being lodged.

He said: “As a councillor I will support the application.

“It could be made within a matter of days, possibly a matter of weeks.”

Once the application has been submitted, it will then be sent to Oxford City Council for consideration.

It is expected that the decision on the future of the building will be finalised by the end of summer.

Since the 25ft shark was installed by Oxford Mail columnist Bill Heine without planning permission in August 1986, the shark has sparked debates and lengthy battles with the council and residents in the area.

Members of the council, who are backing the project to save Oxfordshire’s quirkiest tourist attraction, have said that the shark house does not come without controversy, however, the majority of residents have been quite supportive.

New Headington councillor Glynis Phillips added: “We agreed as residents that we would like to support this initiative given the unique nature and notoriety of the shark.

“Not a week goes by that people don’t walk past and take pictures. It certainly makes people smile.

“At the start of each academic year there is a always a huge flurry of interest in the shark.

“The listing of the shark house is linked with the neighbourhood plan, in which we’ve asked the question, 'what makes Headington Headington?' and what matters to residents.”

Headington’s neighbourhood plan aims to be a guide for future development and change within the area.

The plan's policies include the listing of Headington’s most popular spots on the Oxford Heritage Asset Register.

Developed by the city council with funding from Historic England, this register aims to replicate the national listed building register on a local level and offers guidance to planners, though not formal legal protection.

Patrick Coulter, chairman of Headington Action said: “We were keen to have a number of local assets listed in Headington and the shark was one of them. We wanted things with historic value in Headington to be listed.”