VILLAGERS have warned building a new housing estate on the other side of a major road from East Hanney could be dangerous.

Barwood Rockspring East Hanney Ltd has applied for planning permission to build 200 new homes on a field east of the A338 and south of Steventon Road in the parish.

The parish council has previously objected to such developments, saying the road forms a natural boundary for the village.

Barwood has applied for permission to Vale of White Horse District Council.

In the submission the company wrote that its development “seeks to strike an appropriate balance between the need to provide new housing with the need to protect and, where possible, enhance the existing environment”.

The estate would include public open space including “the potential provision of sports facilities and children’s play areas”.

However, several residents have already written to the council raising concerns about the plans.

Main Street resident Ian Smith wrote: “A development to the east of the A338, where young children would have to cross the busy A338 on their way to school, would be far more dangerous than any development to the south of the village, where pedestrians could travel with safety well away from the potentially dangerous A road.”

People can comment on the plans online at whitehorsedc.gov.uk until September 9 using reference number P15/V1846/O.

The Vale of White Horse District Council has said it will make a final decision by November 3.