THE developers behind the £50m extension to Didcot's Orchard shopping centre are still waiting for shops and restaurants to get on board.

Residents have been left in the dark as to when work will begin on the site after a schedule works published in May showed it was supposed to start on August 1.

It has now been revealed to the Herald that developers Hammerson are still trying to get retailers to the new units.

Didcot Town Council leader Bill Service said: "We had a meeting with the developers, where they give us an update on what is going on.

"We've done this for many of the big developments in the town.

"We were told that the reason nothing has noticeably moved forward is because they are trying to get people to sign contracts.

"I think they are having a bit of difficulty because people are reluctant to sign so far in advance."

Work to demolish redundant warehousing on the site of the extension took place in March, but building work on the project has not yet got under way.

Although the schedule of works was published on South Oxfordshire District Council website, Hammerson have said they never agreed that work would begin in August.

Spokesman Matthew Evans said: "We are continuing to work on the final outstanding details needed to make a start on the expansion of the Orchard Centre and hope to be able to confirm a date for this in due course."

The development is due to include 24 shops, a Marks & Spencer food hall, a gym, six restaurants and 105 extra parking spaces.

The scheme on the 7.9-hectare site was expected to take 53 weeks to complete, being finished on June 5 next year when a new restaurant quarter was complete, according to the original timetable.

Buses currently use High Street, which is shut to the general traffic, but under the new scheme they will run along Station Road to Broadway, as the High Street is due to be built on as part of the development.

The building schedule estimated that work to construct the bus route along Station Road would start on June 13 and last almost 14 weeks until September 16.

Mr Service added: "I asked about the opening up of the road but apparently it is between the district and county councils to organise.

"The developers are waiting to get started."

Planning permission was granted to Hammerson in July last year, but the build was delayed due to legal wranglings over using a pedestrianised part of Station Road as part of a new bus route.

However, Oxfordshire County Council approved the bus route in February.