DEMANDS to improve roads and build other key facilities have been stepped up after planning permission was granted to build 1,000 homes west of Witney.

The proposals, led by three separate developers, were given approval after a long-running wrangle over community payments. They include designs for a business park, shops, cafes, a primary school and new parks.

Councillors representing that part of the town have said pressure must be placed on developers to ensure Witney’s roads are brought up to scratch sooner rather than later to stop the town falling behind economically.

As part of the project, the developers will pay cash to local authorities which can be used to upgrade facilities and there is a call to ensure this is done as soon as possible.

Former mayor and town councillor Jim King said he had real concerns about this development and others, both pending and approved, which are set to see a major increase in the town's housing stock and population over the next decade.

He said: “They’ve really got to pay attention to the infrastructure, and in particular to the roads. My feeling after living here for 20 years is that we’re standing at least five to 10 years behind the drag curve.

“I love Witney and it’s such a good place to live but that could change with all these problems with infrastructure.

“This isn’t just me. I know from talking to people in the town that there’s a real fear it’s all going wrong.”

Mr King said the problems of congestion on the A40 and traffic in the town itself needed to be seriously considered, but also emphasised the importance of health, education, water, sewage and electricity.

With the closure of Deer Park Medical Centre, the catchment area of which would have taken in the new development, Mr King suggested the situation may be brought to a crisis.

He said that waiting times were already high in the town’s practices and that people moving into the new development may ‘push the situation over the edge’.

The plans for land off Downs Road were approved by a planning committee in 2013, but legal agreements between West Oxfordshire District Council and applicants were only resolved last week week, finally granting outline permission.

They will be brought forward by three developers: Bloor Homes, Bovis Homes and Persimmon Homes, with Barton Wilmore acting as master planners.

A minimum of 30 per cent of the housing will be affordable and provision is made for an 80-unit care home comprising 40 affordable units.

With the A40 to the south of the site and Downs Road to the west, infrastructure improvements will include a new roundabout joining the two roads.

Mr King’s fellow west ward town councillor Harry Eaglestone said the roundabout onto the A40 could bring great relief to Witney’s roads – but that it must be brought to fruition.

He said: “It will bring a lot of relief by taking all that heavy traffic from Deer Park and Thorney Leys. With quite a few houses there, it will bring a lot of traffic.

“From that point of view I think the sooner it comes the better. Because they’re not getting anything out of the county council so the only way to get infrastructure is building houses.

“It will be all well and good if these things come to fruition.”

Kevin Parker, urban design director with planners Barton Willmore, said: "The masterplan for this new community has been developed collaboratively with the local community and other stakeholders over a number of years, as a sensitive response to the site and its context.

"The result is a high quality, vibrant mixed-use and walkable neighbourhood that will be a fantastic place to live and work."

The developers will have to submit a more detailed application, which will include things such as house layout, to the district council before progressing.