SUPERMARKET chain Sainsbury's has confirmed it is looking for a new site for its central Oxford store because of the redevelopment of the Westgate Shopping Centre.

The company is looking at a number of options, including the former Disney Store, in Queen Street, to provide a temporary home while work affecting its existing store in the centre takes place. Sainsbury's has already submitted a planning application to use the Disney site, which has been approved by the city council.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "The Disney Store site is something we're looking at with the development of the Westgate Centre.

"We're examining options for the potential relocation of the existing store, as we're keen to maintain a presence in Oxford but nothing has been confirmed yet and we're looking at all viable options of a similar size within the city."

The Disney Store, at the corner of the shopping centre's entrance, has been empty since February last year.

Building work on the centre's expansion is planned to take more than three years. The findings of a planning inquiry into the compulsory purchase of land for the project have yet to be made public.

A Government inspector is considering whether to halt the demoliton of sheltered housing in Abbey Place or allow the centre's owner, Capital Shopping Centres, to acquire the land.