A TWO-STOREY Harvester pub and restaurant is set to open at Milton Gate, Didcot.

Milton Park business park owner MEPC is developing land off the A4130 near the A34 Milton interchange, with a Costa Coffee and car show room on the way.

There are also plans for a new hotel on site, and earlier this month Mitchells & Butlers won planning permission for the Harvester.

Vale of White Horse District Council has now approved the Harvester plans.

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Didcot town councillor Bill Service welcomed the news, saying: “This is just what we are looking for. We have got a lot of Chinese and Indian restaurants in the area. It will be nice to have an English style one as well.”

The developer announced plans for a 160-bedroom four-star hotel alongside a Volkswagen showroom and a workshop run by motor group Ridgeway in October.

It will provide competition for a new hotel planned for the Didcot Island site opposite Didcot Parkway station.

But the town council’s Margaret Davies said: “It looks like major projects are being sucked out of Didcot town centre and we need to keep fighting for Didcot.”

Milton Parish Council also objected to the Harvester plan and told the district council: “There is no need for another pub/restaurant in this area and are concerned about the potential effect on local independent pubs within the parish.

“The council is also concerned that the proposal will encourage yet more cars onto the already struggling Milton Interchange.”

But Vale head of planning Adrian Duffield wrote in his decision notice that “the proposal will not have an undue impact on highway safety subject to conditions”.


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