WITNEY’S Station Lane will become a “smaller version of Oxford’s Botley Road” if plans for a DIY and garden store are approved, it has been claimed.

Witney Town Council has criticised plans to demolish Mick Partlett Car Sales and neighbouring Adenbourne Fieldsports to make way for the development, opposite the Sainsbury’s supermarket.

The council fears the plan would set a precedent and turn Station Lane into a centre for out-of-town stores like Botley Road.

But the company behind the plan denied this and said the store would create 50 jobs.

In its official objection, the council said: “Witney Town Council do not wish to see Station Lane becoming a smaller version of Oxford’s Botley Road where large retail units have been established.”

Botley Road, in West Oxford, is frequently gridlocked with traffic heading into the city and to large retail units including PC World, Currys and Halfords.

The council said it was concerned about road safety as the development would be opposite a junction, also called Station Lane, to the back of Sainsbury’s.

The town’s mayor, James Mills, said: “It would set an unhelpful precedent. The town council had concerns that if Station Lane was to go the way of Botley Road, it would threaten our town centre retailers.”

The Woolgate Centre, off Market Square, has lodged an objection to the plan with West Oxfordshire District Council, which will make a decision at a meeting on Monday.

In its submission, the centre’s managers said: “The proposal is likely to harm the town centre.

“If it is permitted, a condition should be imposed to ensure that a wide range of goods cannot be sold, to limit the impact on the centre – especially given the lack of connection to the town centre.”

And DIY store Focus, in Thorney Leys, said: “We do not consider that there is a need or demand for a second DIY store.”

Mick Partlett, owner of Mick Partlett Car Sales, welcomed the objections. He said: “It’s a bit more backing for us.

“We don’t particularly want to move out of here if we can help it, but we don’t own the place.”

He has a lease on the Station Lane site for another year.

But Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, has not objected, saying: “The proposal, if permitted, will result in the reduction of lengthy round trips for DIY goods.”

And a district council planning officer has recommended app-roval.

Nick Hardcastle, a director of site owner Leda Properties, said: “The Botley Road comment is a bit emotive, and I don’t think it would set a precedent. Each planning application would have to be dealt with on its merits.”

The lowlands area planning sub-committee will make a decision at its meeting at the district council offices in Wood Green, Witney, on Monday at 2pm. The public are welcome to attend.