BMW bosses want the massive wind turbine planned between the Cowley car works and Horspath moved in case they want to expand the Mini factory.

The scheme to build a £3m turbine with a combined blade and tower height of 130 metres is at an advanced stage.

But Oxford City Council is looking at its plans again after BMW said it may clash with potential expansion of the factory.

The firm said one plan could see it expand its plant on to its current sports ground at the Cowley plant.

It would then want to put the sports ground on city council-owned land on the site across the road from the Horspath Athletics Track that is currently earmarked for the wind turbine.

BMW spokesman Graham Biggs said that no decision had been made to expand, but the company did not want its options closed off.

He said: “We have been talking to the council about the need to protect land for potential use in the future, if we expand our facility.

“We need to retain some flexibility.”

At a meeting on Wednesday, the council’s executive is expected agree to move the turbine, so enough space would be left on the city-council owned land to provide sports pitches.

An officers’ report says: “BMW have concerns that the siting of the turbine might be prejudicial to the future operation of Plant Oxford, to the extent that it is possible they could object to a planning application for the siting of a permanent turbine in its currently proposed location.”

The officers say changing the site is preferable to protracted talks and the risk of the plans being refused.

The amount of electricity generated by the turbine will be equivalent to the needs of 1,100 homes.

A full planning application is expected to be submitted in March.

Partnership for Renewables, set up by the Carbon Trust to work with the public sector, will pay for the development costs, with an annual payment made to the council.

A PfR spokesman said that changes to the Horspath site would not adversely affect its plans.