A plan to raise the level of part of Banbury's former cattle market in Merton Street has been recommended for approval.

The move, which will prevent flooding of any future development of the site, is expected to get the go-ahead at a meeting of Cherwell District Council's north area planning committee tomorrow night.

At the same time, a flood storage area will be dug on land to the south of the cattle market.

An application for both projects has been submitted by developers Kings Oak South Midlands.

The plan will raise the southern end of the cattle market, which flooded in the Easter storms of 1998, and also provide a flood compensation area - a man-made lake - between the Banbury-Oxford railway line and the disused Banbury-Brackley line.

The land to be raised is the former lorry park at the bottom of Edward Street.

The intention is to use the earth extracted from the compensation area to raise the cattle market land.

Plans have also been submitted to CDC for a mixed development of houses and workplaces on the cattle market site.