The land opposite Didcot Parkway train station will continue to be used as a temporary car park despite criticism that it is “a blot on the landscape.”

Station Road Car Park has been operated since the Great Western Junction Hotel, which was formerly on the site, was demolished in 2006.

South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC), which owns the land, has granted itself permission to continue using it as a car park until September 2025.

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The decision was made despite an objection from Didcot Town Council.

“It’s the first thing people see when they come into Didcot by train, and it’s an embarrassment, an eyesore, a blot on the landscape,” said town councillor Stephen Cole at a district council planning meeting on August 9.

“The site was bought by SODC with the intention of it being developed in order to improve the area of the town.

“Until plans could be agreed, the council was granted temporary planning permission to use the site as a car park.

“Rather than bring forward the plans, the council has continually rolled forward this planning permission, extending the life of the car park, which now seems to be a permanent car park.

“What is the meaning of temporary?”

“In the meantime, a new multi-storey car park has been built adjacent to the station, so this car park is no longer needed.

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“The continued existence brings unnecessary traffic into the town centre – traffic which could be parked in the multi-storey car park.”

The site could soon be redeveloped into the district council’s new headquarters, with a planning application under consideration.

Oxford Mail: A concept image of the buildings across from Station Road

Cllr Cole said the site, while awaiting development, should be used for other means than a car park, but admitted the town council had not yet presented any ideas to the district council for what it could be.

But Karen Lister, who represented the district council, said car parking was considered the best current use of the site.

She said: “The council office application demonstrates the council’s intention for car parking to only serve as a temporary use on this site.

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“It considers car parking to be the best use of the site in the time until such development is realised.”

But John Salmons, a Didcot resident who spoke at the meeting, warned the site had been the subject of several failed development proposals over the last 17 years.

He pointed out that temporary permission for the car park had been granted seven times.

“Every time I’m sure the planning officers were convinced a permanent change of use was just over the horizon, and every time they were proved wrong,” he said.

“You should not be fooled into thinking this will be eight time lucky.”

A spokeswoman from South Oxfordshire District Council: "This site has been allocated for redevelopment in the South Oxfordshire Local Plan as part of the wider Didcot Gateway site.

"We are committed to revitalising this area, having already submitted a planning application for our proposed new office headquarters in the area, which is supported by a masterplan for the wider Didcot Gateway site.

"Until plans for the site’s long-term use are finalised, we believe it provides more value to our residents as a temporary car park rather than a vacant site.

"Over the past year, data on usage of the car park demonstrates it has operated at a consistently high daily capacity, which indicates that it’s still well utilised and provides value to the community.”