A NURSERY that has been on its current site in Didcot for more than 70 years could be moved to a different part of the town.

An application which was submitted earlier this year for the £60m revamp of land opposite Didcot Parkway rail station, including new homes and a hotel, would force Lydalls Road nursery to relocate.

The plans for Didcot Gateway, put forward by South Oxfordshire District Council and the Homes and Communities Agency, said the nursery, which caters for 60 children per session, would be relocated to a different part of the Gateway site.

But an alternative proposal has emerged, which involves moving the nursery to Edmonds Park as part of a possible redevelopment of the county council’s youth centre site.

Vice-chairman of governors at Lydalls Nursery, Nick Hards, who is also Didcot West county councillor, said he was opposed to the move to the park because it would mean families living in the area would have further to travel.

He said: “I want the nursery to stay near the station.”

Mr Hards added that the nursery was on a site owned by the county council and catered for 120 youngsters aged up to five.

He said: “This proposal to move the nursery to Edmonds Park has come right out of the blue and I am trying to find out more about it.

“According to the current planning application the nursery will move just around the corner from where it is now.

“That would be better than a move to the park, which is about a mile away, and would not be as convenient for a lot of families.

“If you move the nursery further away from where the children live more families will end up going by car.”

A report to Didcot Town Council’s finance meeting on Monday told councillors: “It is understood that Oxfordshire County Council may be interested in redeveloping the youth centre site in the park to accommodate a children’s day nursery with the help of South Oxfordshire District Council.”

It added: “The town clerk understands that OCC may be interested in relocating its Lydalls Road children’s nursery as a result of the proposed Gateway development.

“Economies of scale could be achieved if all three facilities (the youth centre, the nursery and town council sports pavilion) are situated in the same area of the park and the building is designed by the same contractor.”

Labour town councillor Margaret Davies said: “Some families from the Ladygrove estate use the nursery and a move to the park would be much less convenient for them.

“The item was withdrawn from the town council agenda at the last minute and I hope the proposal to move the nursery to the park doesn’t go forward.”

Lydalls Nursery School is maintained by the county council and has been on its current site for more than 70 years.

The present building was opened in 1995 and extended in 2001 to provide daycare facilities for children aged two to five.

Lydalls Nursery School’s most recent Ofsted inspection was in 2013 when it was graded good.

The nursery school is open from Monday to Friday during term time and provides 60 places per session.

Headteacher Rebecca Saunders was unavailable for comment yesterday.