HIGHWAYS bosses have objected to the £50m redevelopment of the Orchard shopping centre due to concerns over a proposed new bus route and a lack of parking.

Oxfordshire County Council has raised concerns about the lack of detail regarding the new route in plans submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council for the expansion of the centre.

Developer Hammerson submitted a planning application in March for 24 new shops – including a Marks & Spencer food hall as the anchor store – plus six restaurants and cafes, a new gym and 225 parking spaces. A new bus route for passengers travelling from Didcot Parkway to the shopping centre has been proposed via Station Road, due to the developer’s proposal to build on the current service road between Broadway and Hitchcock Way.

In a written response county council locality manager Paul Fermer said the expansion was supported in principle, but added that more detail was needed regarding the bus link and associated stops.

The county council also expressed concern over the level of car parking proposed, which has the potential to create “on-street parking issues”.

Mr Fermer added: “ The applicant will need to demonstrate a suitable re-provision of the bus link and bus stops which support the priority destinations of Didcot Parkway, the Orchard Centre and the Broadway.”

Thames Water and Didcot Town Council have also objected to the planning application.

Labour town councillor Margaret Davies said: “ Everyone wants Orchard Centre phase two to go ahead but the application at the moment does not stack up.”

The town council raised concerns over parking capacity and surface drainage.

Thames Water said its objection was due to an insufficient capacity to deal with waste, which they added could lead to “sewage flooding”.

Hammerson development manager Russell Beresford said: “We remain committed to the project and hope to be in a position to a make a start on site later this year.”