VILLAGERS have published a vision for their community that includes nurturing a wildlife haven and expanding community facilities.

The parish council in Radley, near Abingdon, has revealed its aims for the village as it prepares for a housing boom.

Its neighbourhood plan was put out for consultation at the end of last month following years of fine-tuning.

Chairman of the Radley neighbourhood plan steering group, Priscilla Dudding, said: "We're pleased we've managed to pull this together. A lot of people have worked on it.

"We have been landed with new developments – there's no escaping them – but we are trying to influence how they are shaped."

The Vale of White Horse District Council outlined plans for hundreds of homes in and around the village in its local plan, including 240 homes in north west Radley and 270 in south Kennington.

Radley parish council chairman Jenny Standen, said: "The plan establishes what developers should put in terms of infrastructure, making sure they are not piling more dwellings on top of the existing sewage system which is at full capacity.

"It will hold larger sway when giving planning permission."

The plan stresses the need for more primary school places and outlines the possibility of improving healthcare in the village with a doctors' surgery.

Mrs Standen said it was important that new homes, which would add to the 1,300 already in the village's boundaries, should have safe access to facilities by bike and foot.

The plan envisages improvements to Radley Lakes by having them recognised as an 'area of quiet recreation and nature conservation'.

It states current access via narrow Thrupp Lane is 'dangerous' with lorries trundling to nearby industrial sites. It calls for a new entrance to the lane, better suited for bigger vehicles.

Friends of Radley Lakes chairman Roger Thomas said the plan accentuated the area's potential to create "a fantastic" wildlife site.

He said: "With so many more houses planned for the area, there is a huge and growing need for green space."

The plan also sets out hopes to expand and modernise the village hall, as well as Radley Community Shop.

It suggests the village allotments as a potential new site for the shop to relocate to.

Land for new and larger allotments would then be found elsewhere as the current ones hold a waiting list. More space must also be found for another cemetery as the current one is set to run out of space.

Public presentations for the plan will be held at Radley Village Hall on Wednesday at 7.30pm, and next Sunday, at 3pm.

To comment on the plan visit radleyvillage.org.uk/radleys-future by February 10.