Bicester may need an extra 200 acres of employment land to keep up with residential development in the town, according to a business group.

A working party under the Bicester Vision Partnership wants to see more land designated for business to keep pace with plans for new homes.

Although some land at the proposed 5,000-home eco town in North West Bicester will be designated for employment use, including shops, hotels, and factories, the business group says it may not be enough.

The eco town is planned for land at Kingsmere, Graven Hill and Bicester Business Park, off the A41.

In the past few years, several businesses have been forced to move out of town because there were not enough sites or land available for them to expand.

They include car parts wholesaler First Line, now based in Banbury.

Bicester Vision manager Placi Espejo said: “Theworking party was created to look at how we can free land for business.

“At the end of the day we are getting all this housing, so we have got to provide jobs.

“We want to see Bicester as a high-growth place, where businesses can grow and be nurtured.

“We don’t want to lose firms, we want to keep them and we need to look at how and where.”

Land agent and working party chairman John Liggins said: “We are gathering information. No recommendation has been made about anything.”

He said the findings would first go to Bicester Vision’s board and, if adopted, would then be recommended to Cherwell District Council.

The council commissioned consultants WYG to create a masterplan that will look at the future of Bicester for the next 20 years, and how it will expand.

Michael Gibbard, Cherwell’s lead member for planning, said: “Ensuring the future employment needs of Bicester are met is central to this. It’s not just about keeping pace with housing growth. Ensuring local companies can grow and land is available is an end in itself.”

He said the final masterplan, due to go before the council’s executive on May 28, would contain detailed proposals for new land release for strategic development including housing, employment, education, health, green space and leisure.