BOTLEY’s only petrol station will be removed despite objections by residents and North Hinksey Parish Council.

Plans that will see the second phase of the project to redevelop Seacourt Retail Park were approved at a Vale of White Horse district council planning on Wednesday night.

The decision means new shops and cafés will be built, the existing petrol station will be removed and an access road off the A420 will be created to allow traffic to both enter and exit the retail park.

Residents and the parish council raised concerns over the loss of the petrol station, saying that because of the closure of the filling station in Oxpens, people will have to travel a lot further for fuel.

Further worries about the effect new shops would have on the new West Way development were raised, as well as the amount of cars accessing the retail park.

Parish councillor Andrew Pritchard said new food and drink shops will take business from the West Way development.

He added: “The removal of the petrol station at Oxpens means that if the BP station in removed, then people will have to drive not only further, but along the A34 and contribute to the congestion.”

Resident Derek Lawson said despite the planning committee approving the removal of the petrol station in 2013, it should take account the closure of the Oxpens station.

Mr Lawson, who has lived in the area from more than 38 years, added: “When I first moved here there were five within easy reach between Botley and Oxford. If this goes ahead there will be none.”

He said having more cars accessing the area would worsen traffic congestion.

But council officer Shaun Wells said the council had employed an independent company to do an impact assessment on the area and found the retail park would “not significantly” harm Botley town centre.

He added: “The petrol station is a commercial decision, so unfortunately in planning terms we have no control over that.

“The loss of Homebase is a commercial decision, but we do sympathise with objectors with this particular issue.”

Despite the concerns raised, councillors voted in favour of the plans, with the majority saying they understood the objections but they were not reasons to refuse permission.

Work started in 2013 on the £15m two-stage development of the Seacourt Retail Park site, which is owned by British Airways Pension Trust.

The first phase, finished in 2014, included a Decathlon outdoor leisure store, Sports Direct and Dreams. When completed the site will have created 150 new jobs.