TRAFFIC, noise and safety are among concerns voiced by residents about a plan for two large warehouses near Didcot.

The 1m sq ft distribution centres are planned for land west of Didcot power station, off Sutton Courtenay Lane. The site would have space for 110 lorries.

London-based Diageo Pension Trust announced the proposal on June 5, saying it could create 2,000 jobs.

But at a public consultation at Sutton Courtenay village hall on Friday, residents opposed the plan.

Mum-of-three Emily Lally, 38, said: “I live across the road, so I’m not happy at all.

“They encourage kids to walk to school but there will be increased traffic.

“My eldest goes to Didcot Girls’ School from September and she’s not allowed a bus for free, because it’s apparently a safe route to walk. It wouldn’t be down that road.”

Lorries will not be allowed to go through Sutton Courtenay and a new entrance to the site will be created. The lorries will go south down Sutton Courtenay Road, join Milton Road and then the A4130 before reaching the A34.

Villager Valerie Coombs said: “It’s going to be 16m high and take 10 years for the screening and greenery to grow. They haven’ot even let the warehouses yet – it seems to have come completely out of the blue.”

Her husband John added: “They are making a big fact about the HGVs not going through the village, but they can’t stop the employees.”

Milton Road resident Pauline Wilson said: “I can’t understand why in an area dedicated to being an international science hub, they are thinking of building a distribution centre creating 2,000 jobs, when at the last count in south Oxfordshire there were only 1,083 people without jobs.”

Sutton Courtenay Parish Council chairman Michael Jenkins said: “All I can say is most of the comments I have heard from people are that they are not very pleased.”