The war of words over the planned new Waitrose development in the centre of Wallingford has gone national.

The plans, which have been featured and debated in the pages of the Oxford Mail for the past two years, have featured this week in The Observer and Guardian newspapers.

South Oxfordshire District Council has approved the planned new store at The Lamb crossroads.

But Swag, the Save Wallingford Action Group, wants the scheme called in by the Government and a public inquiry held. It is urging residents to write demanding an inquiry.

The group's arguments against the size and necessity for a new Waitrose were highlighted in The Guardian.

The town council and Wallingford Business Partnership support the scheme. Opposition to the campaign comes from Wallingford town council and Wallingford Business Partnership.

The town council wants the development to go ahead.

Member Alec Hayton said if the plan was called in for a public inquiry, it would delay the scheme by at least two years and could jeopardise the whole development.

Business Partnership chairman Pat Hayward wants the development to go ahead and for people to start shopping in the new Waitrose and in the rest of the town as well.

Waitrose says the present store in St Martin's Street -- which is owned by the Manchester-based Co-operative Property Group -- is too small and the lease will soon run out.

It wants to start building this summer for the store to be ready next year.

The new Waitrose development will have frontages on the High Street and St Martin's Street, and will take in the old Somerfield supermarket, a butcher's, a Chinese takeaway, a former garage site, and the King's Head pub, as well as businesses in High Street.