A finance firm will be moving to a new purpose-built corporate headquarters in Banbury later this year.

Alex Lawrie will move from Beaumont Road to the Banbury Cross Business Park next to junction 11 of the M40.

Alex Lawrie is a division of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, providing financial services to companies.

Grahame Handley, chief executive of Cherwell District Council, said: "This is excellent news for Banbury." The 23-acre Banbury Cross Business Park has been bought by ProLogis Developments who report strong interest from local and national occupiers.

Development surveyors for the business park, the James Martindale Consultancy, also based in Banbury, say they anticipate further interest from firms outside the area.