OXFORD'S Mini plant will not be moving its planned shutdown period despite the UK's Brexit date shifting by at least two weeks. 

EU leaders last night agreed an extension to article 50, meaning the UK will not now leave the union until April 12 at the earliest. 

Prime Minister Theresa May was told if she can get her deal through parliament next week then the withdrawal date could be further extended until May 22 in order to pass the necessary legislation. 

But the last-minute developments won't impact on BMW's plans to close its Cowley factory for four weeks after the original Brexit date of March 29. 

READ MORE: BMW 'will consider' Mini's future in Oxford in event of no deal Brexit

Spokesman Steve Wrelton confirmed this morning that the company will be sticking to its original plans, which were put in place due to extent of uncertainty concerning the UK's position in the immediate aftermath of Brexit. 

He said: "The maintenance period remains in place throughout April.

"This is what our company and our workforce have planned for over many months and it is fixed into our business planning."

He went on to confirm the length of the shutdown will be four weeks and there are no plans to extend it further. 

This means that the factory will be open again by the later potential Brexit date of May 22.

READ AGAIN: BMW's shutdown plan 'shows extent of Brexit uncertainty'

Last September, BMW took the unprecedented step of moving its shutdown, which usually takes place during the summer holidays in August.

Maintenance work and preparing the plant to manufacture the new electric Mini is due to take place during April instead.

At the time city leaders rallied behind the company, saying it showed the government must provide assurances to businesses about customs and tariffs on the UK's borders after Brexit.

The German car manufacturer has consistently spoken out about the threat of a 'no deal' Brexit and said it could be forced to look at moving operations to Holland in the event of this 'worst case scenario'.