A BREAKTHROUGH agreement that will see a 1,000 home development to the west of Witney go ahead should be reached within weeks, a council officer has said.

The West Witney development will be the biggest since the Madley Park estate which was finished five years ago, and will also contain a new school, a shopping centre and parks.

It was approved by West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) early in 2013 and councillors said they expected the legal agreements would be completed early in 2014.

But since then it has stalled as developers have fought with WODC and Oxfordshire County Council to build the homes before the roads, schools, shops and other infrastructure. But Phil Shaw, development manager at the council, said the scheme should be signed off in a matter of weeks.

He said: “The delay has been due to developers wanting to secure as much money from the scheme as they can, whilst the councils want to secure as much infrastructure in return including schools, parks and roads.”

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He added: “It’s definitely going to be full steam ahead. All parties involved are committed to the scheme.

“The problem is there’s also been a lot of different councils, developers and landowners involved.

“It’s proven very testing to find a form of words that’s been acceptable to the lawyers in terms of developers achieving the profit they need and the community benefits we want to achieve.

“But an agreed version is doing the rounds now for final signing.”

The sticking point has been the timing of the homes and the infrastructure, but Mr Shaw said the agreement will see the homes and infrastructure being built side by side.

The scheme is being planned by Oxfordshire Land and its owners Persimmon Homes, Bovis Homes and Sovereign Land (Witney) Ltd.

Oxfordshire Land is set to contribute £25m to infrastructure under the agreement, including a primary school and a £6.5m roundabout to connect the A40 with Downs Road and ease pressure on the road junctions around the A415/A40 interchange in Ducklington Lane.

Another £100,000 will go towards the restoration of the Corn Exchange and £250,000 is allocated for improved facilities at West Witney Sports Ground.

Residents have expressed concerns after the scheme appeared to disappear off the radar in recent months.

West Witney councillor Harry Eaglestone said: “I have asked about the scheme on several occasions but have just been told it is under negotiation.

“It will be really good if they are going to sign it off with all the things we wanted, but nobody has told us anything yet and it would be nice if they told us what was happening.”

Richard and Jackie Smith who have worked Charity Farm just across the A40 from the development site for 20 years, said they are not concerned about the scheme’s impact.

Mr Smith said: “The developments they’ve done in Witney over the years have been very sensitively handled and at the end of the day people needs homes.

“If it gives people the opportunity to own heir own houses then it’s a good thing.”

But neighbour Roger Smith, 69, said he is very concerned about the impact on traffic congestion and on local wildlife.