WORK to progress the new £330m Westgate Shopping Centre, in Oxford, came to a stop this week as developers abandoned plans for a 2011 opening.

Faced with a prolonged legal challenge, the developers called a halt to preliminary work in the multi-storey car park, which got under way in the autumn.

Westgate Partnerships said it had decided to discontinue, until the outcome of December's planning inquiry into the compulsory purchase of land is known.

The developers believe they will have to wait until the end of May, to discover whether compulsory purchase orders can be served to acquire surrounding land, essential for the scheme to continue.

The whole construction timetable has been completely redrawn. The main contract work, planned to begin this summer, will not now be undertaken until early 2009.

The centre's opening has been put back to the spring of 2012, almost two years after the original opening target date.

Opponents of the scheme accused the developers of seriously underestimating the planning complexities of the scheme.

Oxford city councillor for Carfax, Sushila Dhall, said: "They have been doing preliminary work prior to the outcome of the inquiry.

"Until now, the developers had just assumed that they would get the go-ahead to demolish the housing in Abbey Place. But I think they are no longer prepared to risk any more money, now that they are having to wait for the outcome. It is proving a more complex issue than they had hoped."

She warned that disabled residents in Abbey Place, who face losing their homes, would take their fight to the European Court of Human Rights if the Government planning inspector did not find in their favour.

Simon Ward, spokesman for the Westgate Partnership, played down the significance of the rescheduling.

He said: "By choosing to defer these works until summer 2008, we are providing further time to progress the detailed design and procurement with our preferred contractor Sir Robert McAlpine.

"The Westgate Partnership has always anticipated the need for flexibility due to the complexities of a construction project in an historic city centre and it is not uncommon for alterations to occur to the construction timetable."

Archaeological work in the multi-storey car park has now stopped, along with the long-awaited removal of the derelict Westgate escalators which have been an eyesore for years. But it will mean that 100 car parking spaces lost during the archaeological investigations will be reopened to motorists.

It is not yet known if the planned temporary car park on the west side of Oxford ice rink will be put off. It was due to be operational from January.

Vincent McKeown, who can only communicate by blinking, became a figurehead for people fighting to stay in sheltered housing in Abbey Place when he refused to move to alternative accommodation.

The Government inspector is considering whether to prevent the demolition of the sheltered housing in Abbey Place.

Mr McKeown's solicitor, Kate Waller, said: "I am pleased that the date of the outcome has been put back and the issues are being looked at in more detail. It is sensible for all concerned."

Archaeological work on the car park site had already resulted in the construction programme having to be extended to 50 months.

Further problems arose when clearance work involved the removal of three London Plane trees in Norfolk Street sparked protests. Members of the Oxford Against Westgate Expansion campaign will be holding a protest "party" in the city centre on Saturday afternoon, featuring a Samba band.

Meanwhile, supermarket giant Sainsbury's has confirmed it is looking to switch its central Oxford site because of the redevelopment of the Westgate Centre, which would have department store John Lewis as its cornerstone.

The company is looking at a number of options in the city centre including the former Disney Store on Queen Street to provide it with a temporary home, as its existing store will be part of the revamp.

Sainsbury's has submitted a planning application for the Disney Store site that has been approved.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "The Disney Store site is something we are looking at with the development of the Westgate Centre.

"We are examining options for the potential relocation of the existing store as we are keen to maintain a presence in Oxford.But nothing has been confirmed yet and we are looking at all viable options of a similar size within the city."

The Disney Store, situated at the corner of the Westgate centre entrance, has stood empty since February last year.