FRESH fears have been raised over the traffic impact of a 1,500-home development.

The developer behind the Crab Hill estate in Wantage has now asked for permission not to complete road accesses onto the site until occupation of the first homes – not the start of construction work as originally expected.

Vale of White Horse District Council will consider the application at a meeting on Wednesday.

Ahead of that, the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group for sustainable development raised the alarm about the possible knock-on effects.

Campaign manager Julie Mabberley said: “We are concerned about the road accesses because all of the construction traffic will be using them as well as any people wanting to look at show houses, and we all know how busy the A417 is.”

The application submitted by the London-based St Modwen Group controlling the development also seeks permission to delay payment of millions of pounds towards local schools and the ‘Wantage Eastern Link Road’ around the estate.

The new ‘trigger points’ would be aligned to the number of homes occupied on the estate.

Members of public can see the full application on the district council’s website, whitehorsedc.gov.uk, using reference number P17/V0652/FUL.

Members of public are also welcome to attend Wednesday night’s meeting which will be held at The Beacon civic hall in Wantage from 6.30pm.