BMW wants to launch a multimillion-pound expansion at the Cowley car plant, it emerged last night.

The company hopes to submit a planning application to Oxford City Council in the next few weeks and said the scheme represented its “commitment” to the plant and city.

Last week, the company unveiled a series of new models due to go into production by 2011, while a new generation Mini is expected by 2013.

BMW stressed said the board of the German car company had not yet given the go-ahead for the 2013 new model or said where it would be built.

But the firm admitted the planned new building would allow the factory to move over to produce the new generation Mini without a break in production.

Duncan Reading, BMW’s structure plan manager for the Cowley plant, said without the extra space the plant would have to halt production for nine months to prepare for the new car.

He said: “A new generation of Minis will have different engineering processes and therefore we need more space in the bodyshop.

“It’s a way to create additional space for the new kit.”

Mr Reading was unable to say how much the new building would cost and BMW is not releasing pictures of what it will look like until the planning application is submitted.

Spokesman Rebecca Baxter said: “We would not have got the go-ahead to even start this process unless there was a commitment to Plant Oxford.

“The main focus of this is to secure the plant’s long-term future.”

The plans involve demolishing an old logistics building, currently used to store parts for BMW’s sales department.

The scheme will not increase the volume of cars produced in Oxford and will not require a bigger workforce.

Mr Reading said traffic movements at the factory were expected to increase by about 10 per cent during the two to three years of construction.

Work would take place between 7am to 7pm from Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings if necessary.

The contractors re-use rubble from the old building for the foundations and the building process would be as environmentally sustainable as possible, he added.

If the planning application is approved, construction work is expected to start in the first half of next year.

Letters have been delivered to 100 homes around the factory inviting residents to visit the factory take a look at BMW’s proposals between 3pm and 8pm today and tomorrow.

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