Hundreds more homes on the way

3:06pm Tuesday 2nd December 2008

Hundreds more homes and a business park could be built in Wantage as part of a new plan for the Vale of White Horse.

Last week, the district council — the authority behind the plans — revealed its long-term vision to redevelop the area around Wallingford Street, Waitrose and Campbells yard east of Market Place, complementing the Limborough Road development.

The draft proposals were unveiled last Friday as part of the council’s local development framework — setting out where 11,560 new homes should be built in the district up to 2026.

Councillors want 1,500 homes built either at Wantage or Grove — in addition to the 2,500 homes already planned for the former Grove airfield — or in south-west Abingdon. An extra 250 will be built in green fields in Wantage or Grove and 420 at Faringdon.

Residents raised concerns over infrastructure.

Pensioner Don Summers, of Hawthorn Crescent, Grove, believed new developments could heighten the risk of floods.

He said: “Any increase in flow from the Wantage area is likely to heighten the flood risk to Abingdon. Abingdon residents need to be aware that dumping houses elsewhere doesn’t absolve them from an increase in flood risk.”

Dean Bateson, 25, of Albermarle Drive, Grove, said: “Depending on where it is, a business park would be a good thing, but they would have to consider the infrastructure and maybe reopen the train station.

“Lots of people are worried about the flood risk in the Wantage and Grove area and more houses will make it ten times worse.”

Businessman Andy Chalmers, 61, of Charlton Road, Wantage, said: “I’m all for it, lots of new houses is a good thing. It’s good for business and it’s good for jobs. It’s about time some money was spent on Wantage.”

The council said a north- eastern relief road around Wantage would be necessary if the 1,500 additional homes went ahead.

It said another road would be built north of Grove and land kept aside for a new railway station in the village.

Council leader Tony de Vere said: “For those in Wantage and Grove, they will feel very vulnerable if they have a development in their back yard, but there can be some benefit in the development.

“For instance, an eastern relief road for Wantage and Grove could bring a lot of benefit for people who are commuting into places like Harwell and Milton Park.”

In Faringdon, a site to the south of Park Road has been identified for a mixture of homes and employment. The area around Budgens shop and Southampton Street car park would be redeveloped to provide more shopping space and better car parking.

Government criteria require that the homes must be built during the next 18 years — 7,090 of them are already being built or have been given planning permission.

That leaves 4,470 extra properties that the council has proposed be built on greenfield land close to its major towns.

Today, councillors are set to decide whether to approve the recommendations. If they do, the plans will be put to public consultation from next month.