It took more than a year to complete at a cost of £1.3m, but less than two months after it opened Didcot’s revamped civic hall needs new doors at a cost of £4,000.

The town council, that owns the building, says the three sets of wooden fire doors were approved by South Oxfordshire District Council’s building control staff as part of plans for the refurbishment of the civic hall last year.

But because the doors do not contain glass viewing panels, the council says they will now have to be removed before it can issue the town council with a completion certificate for the building.

Town council leader Margaret Davies said: “This is local government red tape and as far as I am concerned the doors should be allowed to stay. I think the theory is that if the doors don’t have glass panels then someone might open one onto someone coming the other way, but I think that’s unlikely.

“There are about 10 other doors in the building that don’t have these panels in but as these are fire doors they have to be treated differently.

“I think this is over the top and a waste of money and I would be quite happy for the doors to stay.

“SODC inspected the plans at the beginning and were satisfied, then on completion of the building refused to certify the building safe for occupation until the doors are changed.

“SODC has a lot more money than the town council and as it is insisting on the change it should foot the bill for £4,173.”

One set of double doors leads to the main hall while the other two sets lead to the foyer.

Mrs Davies added that the civic hall was a “high quality, beautiful” building which was being well used by groups in the community.

Mrs Davies said civic hall architects have challenged the doors ruling, and town council leaders will now put their complaint in writing.

The civic hall closed in July last year, but work did not start until January and the building reopened in September.

Former town council leader Bill Service said: “It does appear that SODC’s building control inspectors are at fault over this.

“Four thousand pounds might not seem a huge amount when you compare it to the cost of the refurbishment but that is money that the town council could use as grant funding for community groups.”

One of the new features at the civic hall is an extension with an entrance off Broadway to make the building more visible.

The centre, which is used by community groups from Didcot and the surrounding area, also has a new foyer, a larger bar and kitchen to cater for functions, and a new stage and floor in the main hall.

SODC spokesman Andy Roberts said: “SODC has not received any official communication from Didcot Town Council with regard to compensation for the replacement of fire doors to comply with building regulations.”