Community leaders have welcomed news that a £150m extension of Didcot town centre could be complete as early as 2013.

Council bosses said they are on target to complete the redevelopment, which will double the size of the existing town centre to the east of the Orchard Centre between Station Road, Hitchcock Way and Broadway, despite the recession which has hit property developers nationwide.

Council bosses said the public would be able to comment on the plans in a matter of weeks before they are formally adopted in May.

A mixture of shops, including a department store, homes and leisure facilities are earmarked for the 10-hectare site.

South Oxfordshire District Council chief executive David Buckle said: “I’ve been talking with Hammerson (the developers) over the last couple of weeks and the plans are still moving ahead pretty much on schedule. We are looking at probably five years before the development is complete.

“The work we are doing at the moment isn’t really affected by the recession.

“The Hammerson view is that by the time we have completed all of the preparatory work we will hopefully be coming out of the recession. If the recession is longer than expected we are not going to get the retailers into the shops so it could be held up by that. We expect it do be complete by 2013 or 2014.”

Chris Mitchell, owner of Heart to Heart in Orchard Centre, said: “We moved from the Broadway when the Orchard Centre was built because we knew it was going to alter the shopping geography of the town. It was a good move for us and anything to extend it would enhance Didcot’s shopping provision.”

Anna Fisher, of Hagbourne Road, said: “Didcot needs more shops, but they need to fill the empty ones first though.

“I thought it might be affected by the recession. We waited 20 years for the Orchard Centre.”

Glyn Hall, president of Didcot Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the news but warned the council provision for increased traffic and parking should be considered.

John Flood, leader of Didcot Town Council, said: ”It’s certainly good news for the town.

“I’m pleased and surprised because I assumed with the current financial situation that it might be delayed. It’s excellent.”