SUPERMARKET giant Sainsbury’s will create about 100 jobs when it opens another store in Oxford next summer.

The chain will occupy a new building on the site of the former B&Q store at the Templars Retail Park in Cowley - less than two miles from the store in Heyford Hill.

Construction on the new building, which will also house three new cafés or restaurants and three other shops, will start next month.

The overall £3.5m scheme to revamp the retail park also includes a new landscaped piazza area.

Subjit Jassy, from owners Resolution Property, said: “This is significant in the current regional retail market and demonstrates our belief in the underlying demand for retail provision in the area.

“Now that we have a completion date set for summer 2013 we are moving ahead with marketing the other units, but we cannot name any potential occupiers at the current time.”

The news has prompted a mixed reaction from shoppers, and concerns about parking provision.

Vaughan Haskins, from Kennington, said: “I think it is unnecessary with one so near at Heyford Hill.

“I do think it will impact on Cowley centre.”

Sandra Clarke, 66, from Boars Hill, said: “I think it is rather ludicrous because it is very close to the other one.”

Sam Stone, 27, from Cowley, said: “It would be convenient. I think it will be great because we have not got many shopping places around here.”

Shopper Marie Stewart, 55, of Iffley Road, said: “I think it is good, because I am up here quite a lot and because of the convenience of it.”

Josh Wang, manager of takeaway Oriental Express opposite the shopping park in Between Towns Road, said he thought having a Sainsbury’s would bring more people into Cowley but added: “The parking spaces are going to be limited. Even now without B&Q it is packed.

“There is going to be a problem.”

Richard Garbutt, owner of Ultimate Golf in Between Towns Road, said: “I just don’t think there is enough parking space over there. It is full and that store is empty.

“It would just bring a lot of traffic which is not good. People have taken 20 minutes to get out of that car park.”

Alison Bancroft, spokesman for Templars Retail Park, said there were no plans to add extra parking spaces but there would be “improvements” to the existing car park. She added: “These concerns came through on the consultation and these have been taken into consideration.”

Work to demolish the former B&Q store, which was 5,295 sqm, is under way.

The new Sainsbury’s will be 2,500 sqm while the three new shops on the site will have a combined ground floor area of 1,652 sqm along with a further 1,100 sqm mezzanine, giving a total of 5,252 sqm retail floor space.

The total floor space of the new cafes will be 845 sqm.

Sainsbury’s previous store in the Cowley centre closed in 2000.

A spokesman for the chain said the new store would create about 100 jobs.

He added: “We are excited at the prospect of returning to Cowley and providing a new, quality food shopping destination for the area. We aim to make a positive difference by supporting local good causes and getting involved in the local community.”

Existing shops at the retail park include Matalan, TK Maxx, Asda Living, Brantano, and JD Sports.