A busy High Wycombe supermarket wants to create a new exit in a bid to cut congestion - despite concerns from nearby elderly residents about safety on an already "dangerous" road.

Morrisons, in Parker Knoll Way, hopes to create a new exit through the car park onto Bellfield Road - which would see three spaces lost for shoppers - because customers sometimes face delays getting out of the car park.

Although the plans have been given the thumbs up by Wycombe District Council's environmental health team, who said it would "likely ease congestion" in an area that sees huge amounts of traffic, some residents and councillors are concerned about how the new exit will affect both nearby elderly residents and a takeaway kebab van owner who has been using Bellfield Road for decades.

A final decision on whether the controversial plans will go ahead is expected to be made at the next Wycombe District Council planning committee on January 15 - and they have been recommended for approval.

But those living near the supermarket - including elderly residents at the Hughenden Gardens Village - fear creating a new exit onto Bellfield Road will put those with limited mobility in harm's way.

Objecting to the plans, Heather Green said the road is "already quite hazardous" because there is no footpath.

And fellow Hughenden Gardens Village resident George Gatcum said the retirement village and the Royal Star and Garter home for veterans have brought a "great increase in the number of elderly and disabled pedestrians using this road".

He said: "This road is very dangerous at present due to the volume of traffic using Hughenden Boulevard and Bellfield Road, which is the access to a very busy industrial site.

"Having another exit here will increase this traffic unnecessarily."

The ExtraCare Charitable Trust, which owns and manages the 260-apartment Hughenden Gardens Retirements Village, has also lodged an objection, saying the plans for a new Morrisons exit does not acknowledge "the increased danger than pedestrians crossing at this point will face with the increase in traffic that is inevitable".

Andrew Kingdom, housing officer at ExtraCare, said: "In allowing the residential development of the Hughenden Quarter, the [planning] authority must recognise that residents wishing to access both the town centre and Morrisons have to do so at this point and it should ensure that they can do so safely."

The High Wycombe Society has also raised concerns about the "potential degradation of facilities for pedestrians and pedal cyclists".

But Morrisons has agreed to put up signs warning drivers of pedestrians as they leave the supermarket and said that although there will be extra traffic on Bellfield Road, it is not expected to be "significant".

The plans will go before the WDC planning committee on Wednesday, January 15.