SHOPPERS in Worcester have increased the pressure on council chiefs to make a decision over an out-of-town retail park - saying the wait is benefitting nobody.

As this newspaper revealed on Tuesday, the decision over building a £150 million John Lewis-led shopping plaza off Newtown Road is facing more delay.

The wait has led to a retail expert, Dan Bramwell, saying investors are being "put off" the city centre due to the uncertainty.

The Newtown Road scheme, on fields known as Worcester Woods, is led by developer Land Securities and no decision will now be made until after May's elections.

Since our story on Tuesday lots of readers have emailed, wrote in or left messages online saying they want a swift resolution.

Worcester resident Ted Anstee, 41, of Northwick Road, said: "I am not surprised it's taking the council so long to make a decision, but what shocked me was that it's been 15 months already.

"I shop in Worcester and the traders talk about this all the time, it's hanging over them something rotten.

"They need to know what's going to happen so they can plan for the future."

Writing on our website, a reader called Big Farmer wrote: "Our council need to pull their finger out, make decisions and stick to them.

"All they are doing is costing developers and themselves a lot of money dragging things on and on."

Another reader called Trickytrees said: "In simple language, no company will invest in Worcester city centre until they have certainty on the Worcester Woods development for fear of the inevitable impact it will have on city centre retail. "Dudley versus Merryhill is the prime example, and many more besides."

Another reader called Apching said: "So there is the basis of the decision right there. "If investors looking to establish businesses in the city centre, are waiting to see an outcome on the retail park before they invest.

This must surely mean they are concerned their business will not thrive if competing with out of town shopping.

"The town centre is therefore already suffering before the park has been built."

Councillor Alan Amos, who chairs the planning committee, has said it is "vital" the council gets the decision right regardless of how long it takes.

A spokesman for the authority has confirmed no date has been set, despite rumours it could be May.

The complex, which would create 551 jobs, is for 13 shopping units spread across 394,000 square foot, one third of the entire city centre retail floor space.

A 30,000 sq ft Marks &Spencer, 60,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s with an eight-pump petrol station, £7 million 40,000 sq ft John Lewis at Home store and a Next Home and Garden outlet are all signed up so far.

Land Securities has urged Worcester to improve its shopping to avoid "falling behind" rival destinations like Cheltenham and Birmingham.