TRADERS have been assured that a mult-million-pound expansion project in Witney will go ahead, despite no date being set for work starting.

Developers behind Witney’s Woolgate Centre said in March that the scheme would start this September.

However, they have admitted that sorting out legal agreements had taken longer than expected.

An extra 23,500sq ft of shop space in three department stores is planned for the centre, which will take up three times the space of the current Cargo store.

Cargo temporarily closed its doors at the beginning of the month.

The homeware and furniture retailer plans to reopen in the middle of 2010 in a larger store, as part of the shopping centre expansion.

Neil Hardiman, development manager of Universities Superannuation Scheme, said: “We expect to confirm a start date for construction of the extension very shortly.

“The main reason for the delay has been sorting out legal and contractual agreements with affected parties, but that is now almost complete and the process of selecting and appointing a contractor is well under way.”

Cargo’s head of marketing, Julia Greenhough, said: “It’s still absolutely our intention to open once the new centre is complete.

“We are used to projects hitting glitches along the way and there is no reason to think that it’s not going ahead.”

Caroline Wickson, manager of Adams Childrenswear, in the shopping centre, said: “Compared to the Marriotts Close development at the other end of the town, it would be nice to have something up this end.”

Witney mayor James Mills said: “Anything that keeps people shopping in Witney is really importantThe key figure for people to remember is that currently 75 per cent of the possible total spend for Witney goes out of Witney. Lots of people who could come here to shop go to Oxford, Reading and Banbury.

“By having more shops in Witney, we are encouraging more people to stay in the town and spend their money here .

“It will keep people in jobs and will keep the town vibrant — it’s really important.”

Permission for the expansion was given by West Oxfordshire District Council in 2007.

However, work was delayed because of wrangling over the amount of funding developers would be putting into Section 106 Agreement funds — a pot of money to help fund public building projects.

Plans include increasing the number of disabled parking bays in the Woolgate car park from 24 to 34 and doubling the number of cycle stands.

witney@oxfordmail.com