A NEW community centre for Didcot’s Great Western Park estate should be open seven days a week, according to a residents’ leader.

So far the new community centre has been used for showcase events backed by developers, including Taylor Wimpey, but members of the community have not been able to use it on a regular basis.

The centre hosted a networking event for residents last month, but it has not been open on a daily basis.

More than 3,300 homes are planned for the estate, between the A4130 and the Wantage Road, and hundreds of new houses have already been built.

Chairman of Great Western Park Residents’ Association (GWPRA) John Boden said residents were frustrated that it was taking so long to open the community centre.

Mr Boden, who has lived with wife Margaret in Kingfisher Drive since September 2011, said: “There must be about 1,000 homes built on the estate by now and it is frustrating that the community centre is not yet open.

“There are plenty of community groups who would like to use it and I think there are enough groups keen to use the centre to make it worth opening seven days a week. It’s a real asset, but unfortunately it is not being used properly at the moment.”

The centre is 100sq m inside and there are also toilets, a kitchen and a storeroom.

Mr Boden added: “We have been lobbying the consortium to open it seven days a week, but we have not yet heard back from them.

“Community groups would like to use it for coffee mornings, the Blewbury brass band has expressed an interest, and I know church groups are also interested.”

It was originally proposed to have a temporary building for the Northern Neighbourhood Community Centre, Mr Boden said. But residents protested that a bigger, permanent centre was needed.

He added: “The original plan was for a temporary building to go up and that was due to open by the end of 2012. But it would have been far too small. We have been told that the community centre will be run by a manager, but that has not happened and people living on the estate want it to open now.”

Labour county councillor for Didcot West said: “It’s long overdue for the community centre to be opened for the public –- this is very frustrating for everyone.”

A pavilion and sports pitches are planned for the estate with facilities due to open in September, according to the Great Western Park consortium website.

There are also plans for a food store and a Southern Neighbourhood Community Centre.

The University Technical College, for 600 boys and girls aged 14 to 19, is on the estate and is due to open in September.

According to the website, there are also plans for two new primary schools, to open in 2016 and 2017, and a new secondary school, to open in 2017.

The consortium features house builders Taylor Wimpey, David Wilson Homes, Persimmon and Bellway, but no one had commented at the time of going to press.