A MAJOR expansion at Oxford Science Park has been welcomed as a boost for the economy of the city and Littlemore.

Oxford city councillors unanimously backed the proposal to expand the park at an east area planning committee meting on Wednesday.

The park already employs 2,400 people but almost 500 more jobs could be created.

Traders’ organisation ROX welcomed the injection of jobs into the city’s economy.

Spokesman Graham Jones said: “It is a very good thing. We obviously have low unemployment here so if we have a lot of new jobs coming in it means more people from outside the area.

“More people in the city also means more people coming through and using the shops, whether in the city centre or in Cowley. It is a vote of confidence in our economy.”

The expansion will take place at Plot 12 on the site and will include a state-of-the-art 5,700sq m building with a roof terrace.

Littlemore parish councillor David Henwood, who voted to approve the plans in his role as a city councillor for Cowley, said: “It is a very good thing.

“One of the conditions placed upon the application was for it to pay, once it is complete, for five years of funding either for additional bus routes or other forms of transport. People in Littlemore may well benefit from that.

“Bringing technology jobs like these into Littlemore is fantastic.It shows confidence in Littlemore but I would also like to see better infrastructure go alongside it.”

Both Mr Henwood and Mr Jones expressed concerns over traffic, worries echoed by Littlemore city councillor Gill Sanders.

She said: “I think the science park is wonderful for Littlemore and any development should be encouraged but I think we have to encourage people to come in by public transport. Traffic in Littlemore is a major issue.

“One of the main roads out of the science park area alongside Oxford Road is very congested. Traffic is going to be a huge problem and we are constantly looking at how to alleviate the traffic.”

But Mrs Sanders added that the science park was important to Littlemore and that she wanted to make sure it became a ‘wonderful area’.

The site will have 203 car parking spaces, 80 cycle spaces and provision for a new bus route linking the science park to the city centre.

At Wednesday’s planning meeting concerns were raised about the number of cycle spaces compared to the higher number of slots for cars.

But council officers reminded councillors that the number of parking spaces was ‘planning compliant’ and they would need a very clear reason to ask for more.

Managing director at the science park Piers Scrimshaw-Wright said he was ‘delighted’ that the plans had been approved.

He added that construction would begin in early 2017.