RESIDENTS have raised concerns about traffic problems, overdevelopment, and the long-term effects of a shopping, leisure and housing complex at Witney's Marriotts Close.

About 40 people turned up for a special public meeting organised last week by Witney Town Council to get people's views about plans to develop land at the former Witney Town FC ground, Welch Way car park, and the former Oxfordshire County Council highways depot.

The town council said it wanted to give residents their chance to have a say before formulating its official response to a planning application for Marriotts, submitted by Lincoln-based Simons Developments last month.

As reported by the Gazette, the district council is responsible for deciding whether to approve the application to build three major shops, ten smaller retail units, a five-screen cinema, five-storey (one storey underground) multi-storey car park with 650 spaces, two restaurants, coffee shop, 185 homes, and public open space. The development will cost more than £40m.

One of the main concerns raised by residents at the meeting was about additional traffic and congestion problems the scheme could cause in and around Mill Street, Bridge Street, High Street, and Welch Way.

There were calls for the plans to be put on hold until improvements were made to the town's road system.

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