SHOPPERS in Wallingford celebrated tonight after councillors granted planning permission for a new 30,000 sq ft Morrisons foodstore.

The store on the Hithercroft industrial estate is expected to create 300 full and part-time jobs, and provide a £6.7m a year boost to the local economy.

But some traders expressed concern about its impact on the town centre.

Members of South Oxfordshire District Council’s planning committee followed the recommendation of officers that planning permission should be granted for the store, which will feature a cafe and petrol station.

Kathryn Simmons, 42, a business development manager from Wilding Road, Wallingford, welcomed the decision.

She set up a Facebook page calling for Morrisons to get the go-ahead and more than 1,300 people left messages of support on two Facebook pages.

She said: “A lot of people will be very pleased – this is a good day for Wallingford.

“I hope the new store opens as soon as possible - it will give people more choice."

Independent county councillor for Wallingford Lynda Atkins said: “There may be an impact on the town centre but there are things we can do to keep it vibrant.

“The Wallingford Partnership has spent about £200,000 making the town centre more attractive."

Wallingford district councillor Marcus Harris said 12,000 people in the area currently shopped in Tesco and Sainsbury's in Didcot.

He said Morrisons would help to bring back those customers and the £19m they spent every year.

But Wallingford in Business spokesman EIaine Hornsby, an independent trader, said many traders feared Morrisons would have a damaging effect on town centre trade.

She added: "Morrisons has stated that its non-food sales will be 20 per cent of its turnover."

Town mayor Bernard Stone said he had “strong reservations” about the arrival of Morrisons.

Morrisons spokesman Alexander Hall said 2015 was the expected opening date.

Andrew Birtwistle, development executive for the chain, added: "We aim to compete with the existing supermarkets for our trade, not the independent traders."

Councillors voted by seven votes to six to grant planning permission.