TRADERS in Wantage are delighted a town centre car park is to open at last — two years after it was built.

They believe the opening next month of the Mill Street Undercroft in Letcombe Mews, which had been a target for vandals, will bring more people into town.

The 35-space car park was built as part of the Limborough Road development in 2007, but its opening was delayed until a legal agreement was finalised between the owners, Sainsbury’s, and the Vale of White Horse District Council.

From next month, when ticket machinery has been installed, it will be operated by the Vale council following the transfer of ownership from Sainsbury’s.

During the wait, the car park has been vandalised with graffiti on the walls, two store cupboards broken into, and fires started.

Shopkeepers in Market Place and Mill Street welcomed the news that the car park would soon be open, but said it had taken a long time.

Linda Hatter, of Top Hatters Gifts Boutique, said: “It's about time. Any extra parking in Wantage is more than welcome. We are now heading in the right direction.”

Peter Casey, of Peter Casey Jewellers, said: “This is really good news.

“It’s nice that it will be up and running, and that we have all the car parking spaces we were promised when the development was given the go-ahead.”

But, Claudia Flanagan, manager of Dorothy Perkins, had reservations.

She said: “I think it will bring more people into the town, but whether people will stay towards the Mill Street part of the town, I don’t know.

“We need more shops in the town to encourage more people to shop in Wantage and, therefore, park here.”

A Vale council spokesman said the hold-up had been due to drawing up the agreement with Sainsbury’s.

The council negotiated the use of the car park — as part of the planning agreement for the redevelopment of Limborough Road — to replace car parking spaces available previously.

Jenny Hannaby, the council’s executive member for car parks, said: “After protracted negotiations, the deal will now be signed. I look forward to getting the car park open for use by residents, visitors and the business community.”

Linda Scott, Sainsbury’s regional estates manager, said: “We are pleased that we are very close to completing the car park agreement with the Vale council.”

In April, The Herald reported that people had been struggling to find parking spaces in the town and had resorted to using places reserved for users of Wantage Leisure Centre in Portway — despite being able to park free for two hours in the nearby Limborough Road car park.

Town mayor Patrick O’Leary said: “This is a facility that, unfortunately, has taken some time to open.

“Parking is a big issue in the town.

“The Undercroft will be good for businesses in the centre of Wantage.”

Jim Hetherington, chairman of the Wantage and District Chamber of Commerce, said the new car park had been a long and arduous battle.

It will be available to permit holders and pay-and-display customers for long-stay and short-stay parking.

The actual opening date next month will depend on when parking tickets machines are installed.

The cost for the car park will be: 50p for up to an hour; 80p for 1-3 hours; £2.10 for 3-4 hours; £2.50 for 4-6 hours; £3 for more than six hours.