A PROPOSED new £1.2m children’s centre and youth club in Wallingford is in crisis after a planning officer backed residents objections to the scheme.

Oxfordshire County Council recently announced its backing for a new centre in Clapcot Way, which would provide services for parents of under-fives alongside a rebuilt youth centre.

If the county council gives itself planning permission, it will open in autumn next year, replacing a 1940s building originally built as a kitchen for Land Girls.

But neighbours said it should not be built next to their homes, and a planning officer has intervened to express her concerns about the project. In a memo to county council officials, South Oxfordshire District Council planning officer Cathie Scotting said extra traffic would be “detrimental” to the area.

She said: “It is also not a sustainable location for an employment use, which would be better located in the town centre where the existing offices are and where the public transport and access to facilities and services are close by.”

She said that proposed parking arrangements were impractical and extra traffic would increase noise and disturbance to neighbours.

Criticising the design of the building, she said: “Half the space has no outlook and limited natural light.

“This will result in unsatisfactory working conditions in addition to long blank facades.”

Ms Scotting’s comments echoed the fears of neighbours, who have launched a petition in opposition.

Next-door neighbour Lindon Shepherd, 61, who has lived in Clapcot Way for 30 years, said: “It just doesn’t tally in with the rest of the surrounding area. It will stick out like a sore thumb.

“At the moment, the youth club is open two or three evenings a week, and we’ve got used to it.

“But this new place will be open from 7.30am to 9.30pm every weekday and 7.30am to 3pm on Saturdays. It will cause a lot more difficulties here with the traffic.”

He said he supported refurbishing the dilapidated youth club, but the council wanted to massively expand the facility.

District council chief executive David Buckle said: “We’re trying to resolve some of the issues around the planning application. We’re still very supportive of the project.”

Oxfordshire County Counci is due to decide on the application at a meeting on October 19.

wallingford@oxfordmail.co.uk