A NEW superstore and hi-tech headquarters could be the catalyst for thousands of jobs in West Oxfordshire.

West Oxfordshire District Council granted planning permission for a 40,000 sq ft Morrisons store in Carterton and a new Witney headquarters for Owen Mumford, one of the district’s largest employers, on Monday.

Councillors hope the superstore will help “claw back” trade and jobs to Carterton town centre and the headquarters will encourage more industry to Witney and West Oxfordshire.

The district council has identified 60 hectares of land for new businesses and hopes to boost town centres to create 10,000 jobs by 2029 in its latest draft core strategy.

The Morrisons superstore, in Black Bourton Road, will create 200 jobs, and work will start early next year. The store could be open before Christmas 2013.

Owen Mumford will create a modern three-storey headquarters with a 130-metre long curved roof in De Havilland Way on the Windrush Industrial Park.

The company employs about 600 people at its current sites in Woodstock and Chipping Norton and the new headquarters could create new jobs.

Managing director Jarl Severn said: “We are absolutely delighted.

“At this stage we do not have a firm plan as to what we are using with the Witney site.

“We are keeping all options open.”