OLD Market Shopping Centre can hand over 119 of its parking spaces so MandM Direct staff can park there for free, Herefordshire Council has said.

The move, which is the first hurdle to the online fashion retailer moving its head office from Leominster to Hereford, was opposed by the city council which said it was unfair that MandM Direct staff could park for free, while other city centre workers had to pay.

But Herefordshire Council gave the green light, with conditions, to vary a condition of a previous planning application so the firm's head office workers can park for free on weekdays.

Planning documents showed that the 119 spaces were around 19.6 per cent of the total number of spaces, but a survey by consultants revealed that during the peak period of demand, 1pm on Thursday, May 12, there were 195 standard and 16 disabled spaces available across the car park.

The vast majority of those were on the top deck of the multi-storey car park, where it is expected that the majority of MandM Direct staff would park.

There should also be 40 cycle parking spaces on the ground floor.

L Burgess, of Grafton, also objected and said the plan would only benefit MandM Direct, which wants to take over the upper floors of the old Debenhams shop, and centre owner British Land.

"Tourists visit leisure and retail facilities, tourists are not going to visit Hereford to view offices," they said.

Councillor Jeremy Milln also objected. He said Herefordshire Council should not sanction a competitive advantage to a particular company through parking concessions for staff.

Recommending approval, planning officer Simon Rowles said there is capacity within the car park to meet demand and said concerns over a competitive advantage for MandM Direct was a private commercial matter with the site owner.

"There are also economic benefits to the wider re-use of the upper floors of the building as offices, with more people working in the city leading to greater vibrancy and local spend," he said.

"Moreover, avoiding the continued vacancy of the Unit 1 premises is beneficial to the Old Market development."

Herefordshire Council planners still need grant permission for extra windows and other changes to the outside of the building.