A bid to build a new £2m primary school has come a step closer, after plans were approved by county councillors.

Proposals to build a 210-pupil Church of England school in Carterton won the unanimous backing of members of the council's school organisation committee.

The school, which will be called St John the Evangelist Primary School, will be the town's first Anglican school.

It will serve a new 1,350-home estate to the north east of the town, and will be entirely paid for by a consortium of housing developers, including David Wilson, Trencherwood and Westbury Homes, as part of a planning gain deal.

Committee members rubber-stamped the plans, and also received proposals for a separate primary school to be built at Witney's new 900-home Madley Brook housing estate.

St John the Evangelist School will have seven classrooms for children living on the new housing estate. The single-storey building will also include a hall and a 26-place nursery class.

In a report to councillors, education officer Sharon Fleming said: "This new school will contribute to the diversity of education within Oxfordshire while reflecting a balance of denominational provision.

"This new Church of England school will complement the three community and one Roman Catholic schools within Carterton."

County councillor for Carterton Dee Bulley said: "The town is expanding rapidly and will desperately need a new school. It is nice that it is going to be a Church of England school, which, until now, we haven't had. I am looking forward to seeing it when it is built."

The £2.4m Madley Brook Primary School will provide places for 210 pupils aged 4-11, and a further 26 nursery places.

The school will also provide accommodation for primary school-aged special needs pupils from Springfield Community Special School, which will move to Madley Brook from its present site.