Police are confident they will soon have a satellite station on the spot to cover Oxford's Rose Hill estate.

Thames Valley Police will lodge an application shortly for change of use of a flat at 33, The Oval, next to the street wardens' office.

If approved, it will become the base for the Rose Hill and Iffley beat team, currently based in Cowley police station.

In addition, the force is in talks with Sainsbury's supermarket, at Heyford Hill, about opening a base in the store for its Littlemore team.

Graham Pink, neighbourhood sergeant for the area, said: "It's the biggest place in Littlemore and everyone goes in and out of it, so it makes sense."

The move was welcomed by city councillor Gill Sanders, who represents Littlemore.

She said: "I think the more police presence we have in the community, the better.

"I can't see why a supermarket wouldn't work because it's so accessible to people and less intimidating than going into an actual police station.

"The more people there are on the ground, the more information they can collect and the more crime they can fight."

But residents were sceptical.

Amanda Burns, of Cowley Road, Littlemore, said: "It would be great against shoplifters, but I'm not sure how it would benefit the community.

"It's on the periphery and there isn't a bus route there.

"It isn't going to be that accessible to everyone, especially older people.

"It would be better somewhere more central in the village."

Police have been raising their profile in Rose Hill and Littlemore in a bid to tackle ongoing problems with vandalism and antisocial behaviour.

In Rose Hill, which has been most affected by gang trouble, patrols have been stepped up and police community support officers Luke Westell and Vicki Channon, both 23, joined the beat.

Two more PCSOs are expected to be brought in over the coming months.

Police also extended for another six months the estate's dispersal zone, brought in last year to split up gangs causing many of the problems.