An independent village filling station near Abingdon is to close, with its owner blaming competition from the big oil companies.

The Steventon Service Station has been serving the village for 13 years. But owner Barry Eastlake has decided to call it a day.

He wants planning permission to demolish the garage and off-licence, and replace them with three three-bedroom houses and four two-bedroom flats as well as parking spaces.

The Vale of White Horse District Council's development control committee will debate the plans at the end of May.

Mr Eastlake said: "It's very difficult for a small village operation to compete with the big garages and there are many within a short distance of Steventon.

"There's the BP garage at Milton, near the A34 interchange, and Tesco garages at Abingdon and Didcot."

Mr Eastlake, who lives in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, plans to retire. An oil company was interested in buying the business, but the deal would not have generated enough income.

Steventon Parish Council does not oppose the loss of the garage but is concerned about the proposed homes' roof height and frontages. It also objects to development behind the properties.

Council chairman Barry Capper said: "It's sad to see the garage go after so many years serving the village, but many villages are losing their garages. The big oil companies like to site their garages near big centres and close to main roads and motorways."