Young homeless people in Oxford could be offered a home and a place to train for work in the city centre.

The city council is investing £30,000 in an independent feasibility study to look at the best location for the development - work on which could begin next April.

The study will look at the feasibility of the project and possible locations for it around the city centre.

Patrick Murray, who was previously homeless himself, said the development, which is likely to include a training facility, would make a big difference to rough sleepers in the city.

Mr Murray is now completing a degree in politics and international relations at Oxford Brookes University and hopes that the scheme could give young homeless people the help they need to get back into education.

He said: "This will give homeless people the opportunity to get off the streets and do something with their lives rather than make their own way in a homeless hostel.

"The idea was first discussed about seven years ago but did not happen for a variety of reasons.

"I was one of the people who would have benefited from it at the time. The reason I stood for the council was because I knew what some people had been through and wanted to make things better for others."

The development would either be funded by the city council, or through a housing association.

It has not yet been decided how many young homeless people would benefit from the project.

The idea is to provide for both housing and training facilities - to help young homeless people get back to work - to be put under one roof.

Mr Murray added: "The ideal outcome is to have someone else, preferably a housing association building it and running it.

"The whole point is to have training and education tied in with it to get people back on track.

"I appreciate that there are a lot of services competing for money, but my argument is that this would make more difference to people's lives than anything else we can deliver.

"The people we are talking about are some of the most vulnerable people about and hopefully this will give them a chance in life."

Money for the feasibility project was announced in the city council's budget on Monday.