A civic square dominated by a luxury 150-bed hotel and conference centre is being put forward in a new planning blueprint for Oxford.

The idea of a "flexible conference facility" which could also serve as a new concert venue, has emerged as one of the city council's favoured options for a redeveloped Oxpens.

The Oxford City Council document says a conference centre is needed to meet big growth in business tourism, while it was "essential" for a multi-purpose complex to be linked to a hotel to ensure its viability.

It is proposed that new joint city and county council offices, with floorspace of about 18,500ft, should also surround the large new square.

The plan will go before the council's central, south and west area committee for approval on Tuesday and then the council's executive.

It also calls for the nearby Frideswide Square to be completely redesigned to provide "an attractive gateway to the city centre" and to bring about "continuous slow traffic flow" to what is now a chaotic and confusing bottleneck. The Royal Oxford Hotel now looks certain to be redeveloped as part of any scheme.

It also said the future of the ice rink was limited, saying it was 'life expired'.

"It would require an almost complete redevelopment to bring it up to the standard of a modern facility," it said. "Oxford City Council is unable to generate more money for the ice rink given its poor structural condition and the fact that it is too small to stage entertainment or top-level ice hockey. One possibility is to move the ice rink and provide it alongside a swimming pool."

The council also wants to see the council-owned New Theatre upgraded, including its George Street frontage as part of the project.

The city also proposes the redevelopment of the Odeon cinema in Gloucester Green, in order to give the cinema a more "active frontage" and help integrate Gloucester Green and George Street.

The document calls for between 600 and 1,000 new homes in the West End, a reduction from earlier suggestions. It also said the backers of two major cultural projects - a science centre and children's literature museum - want to locate the museums in the West End.

For Worcester Street car park, the action plan comes out firmly in favour of creating "a landmark water feature with development around the edges".

Public consultation is due to be held in September with plans drawn up next year.