DEVELOPERS are “jumping the gun” by planning 100 new homes for a historic area on the outskirts of Wallingford, according to a county councillor.

Wates has announced proposals to build the new houses at Winterbrook, off Reading Road.

Last Thursday, the firm put plans for the 10-acre site, south of Bradford’s Brook and north of Winterbrook Lane, on display at the Methodist church hall in Wallingford.

Plans for new homes at Winterbrook were switched to Slade End Farm, off Wantage Road, as part of South Oxfordshire District Council’s core strategy, and an outline planning application has been made for 555 new homes at Slade End Farm.

But the threat of development has now returned to Winterbrook, which dates back to the Bronze Age and was once the home of writer Agatha Christie.

But Cholsey division county councillor Mark Gray said: “Wates are definitely jumping the gun with this and should not be consulting residents until SODC has revised its Local Plan.”

Wates said as part of its proposals a new access road would be created on to Reading Road and there would be a new ‘pedestrian link’ to the town centre.

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