New homes could be built on an empty town centre site.

Land behind The Causeway, off Market Square, Bicester, is likely to be built on by a development company and a housing association.

B and P Properties of Bicester have just sent in a plan to Cherwell District Council for eight houses.

Vale Housing Association of Abingdon already has planning approval for around 20 sheltered homes on nearby land. Andrew Banks, principal of Banks Design Architects of Chesterton, said: "B and P want to build two rows of terraced homes, one of four houses and the other of three houses.

"There would also be a small detached house."

He said the access off Chapel Street would be shared with Vale Housing Association.

Bob Duxbury, Cherwell's south area planning officer, said that Vale had permission to build two blocks of sheltered houses. Their development would also include an existing row of old homes called Vine Cottages.