Newsquest (Oxfordshire) Ltd has made a planning application to build a new £20m press hall at its Osney Mead base.

The newspaper publisher's proposals are now with Oxford City Council's planning department and will be considered by councillors at a meeting of the central area committee, at a date to be fixed.

Consultation is now taking place with interested parties.

The Oxford Mail, The Oxford Times, Oxford Star, the Swindon Evening Advertiser, Herald series, Bicester Advertiser and Witney Gazette are all printed at Osney Mead, off Botley Road. The new press would replace outdated machinery.

The managing director of Newsquest (Oxfordshire) Ltd, Shamus Donald, said: "This major investment would enhance our newspapers to the benefit of readers and advertisers.

"Oxford is forging an international reputation for fostering new, innovative businesses and we believe a state-of-the-art newspaper production facility would reinforce that image."

Planning officers are now considering the effect of the new building on the views of Oxford, the green belt, the nature conservation area, and the flood plain.

The new press hall would be an extension of the existing press building, and would be built on land where the office restaurant is now situated, and the surrounding grass area. A replacement restaurant would be provided elsewhere in the building.

The car park is being replanned and, once the extension had been built, there would be 143 car spaces and 21 van spaces, instead of the current total of 185 car and 19 van spaces.

The company plans to accommodate the loss of 40 spaces by encouraging staff to find alternatives to the car for travel to work.

There are about 300 staff working at Newspaper House, and Newsquest does not expect the new press would cause the total number employed there to increase.

Council planning officer Ian Hiscock said: "Consultation is now taking place with neighbouring businesses and other organisations, such as Thames Water and the Environment Agency."