PLANS for a new Marks and Spencer are likely to be decided on next month.

Marks and Spencer foodhall is planned for part of the former Parker Knoll factory site off London Road in Chipping Norton as well as three other small shops.

The plans were first unveiled in November 2016, but a West Oxfordshire District Council spokesman has now said that the plans are likely to be ruled on by the planning committee in September.

Over 100 comments have been submitted to the council in regards to the planning application, with the majority in support of the proposal.

The plans would create over 50 new jobs and would represent an investment of £4m, also including three apartments that would sit above one of the shop units.

A public consultation event on proposals to redevelop part of the former Parker Knoll factory site, off London Road, in Chipping Norton, will take place at the Crown and Cushion Hotel between 1 and 8pm.

Simons Group is proposing to redevelop the northern part of the Parker Knoll site, with the rest of the site being used to build 73 retirement homes after McCarthy and Stone's application was accepted.

Town councillors have previously admitted reservations about the site, describing it as 'ugly.'

Chippy Mayor Councillor Mike Tysoe said while he "didn't have a problem" with the M&S, he would welcome a more imaginatively designed development.

"Let's have some imagination put into it," he said. "I just want something that looks like a building, rather than a couple of boxes - that is all we want."

In its consultee comments, Chipping Norton Town Council raised a number of concerns, including a suggestion that the design "could have been more sympathetic with the surrounding area and not necessarily modern ugly."

Graeme Cosgrove, group director of development at Simons Group, said: "We have written to around 3,250 people across Chipping Norton and, with 81 per cent of respondents backing our plans, we are convinced that our proposals will provide a real boost to the local area.

"Throughout the consultation, hundreds of people wrote to us to tell us how excited they were at the prospect of a new Marks and Spencer Foodhall and we are delighted to be one step closer to coming to Chipping Norton."

It is not yet known which businesses will occupy the additional three shop spaces.

The plans are under consultation by West Oxfordshire District Council and can be viewed online at westoxon.gov.uk, under reference number 16/04244/FUL.