Retailers have welcomed a new supermarket for Bicester town centre, but have reservations.

The owners of Crown Walk shopping mall have submitted plans to Cherwell District Council for the supermarket.

It would include the demolition and relocation of some existing shops. Crown Walk car park would be lost, but to compensate an extra level would be built over the nearby Bure Place car park with a small overall increase in spaces.

Members of Bicester and District Chamber of Commerce have told Cherwell that in principle they welcomed any development that improved the economic well being of the town centre.

However, the chamber had several anxieties over the plan.

Chamber chairman Keith Watson said: "The chamber is concerned that the net increase in car park is inadequate."

Other aspects worrying retailers were the delivery arrangements, with doubts cast over suppliers using smaller vehicles than usual for supermarkets, and the satisfactory relocation of displaced traders.There is some concern that the scheme is very much designed to encourage pedestrian flow towards Crown Walk to the disadvantage of Sheep Street."

Members were also concerned about the impact of the store on other supermarkets and whether a more mixed retail scheme had been considered.