COUNCILLORS have backed a 1,000-home site at West Witney but have reservations about a proposed roundabout access on the A40.

West Oxfordshire District Council members discussed the proposed estate, between Downs Road and Deer Park Road, and gave feedback to developer Oxfordshire Land Limited at a meeting on Monday.

The 73-hectare site will include 1,000 homes, a 10-hectare employment area, local centre including shops, a primary school, playing fields, pedestrian and cycle links to the town centre and allotments. The development could also potentially include a pub and a secondary school.

There will be access roads on Downs Road, Curbridge Road and a five-arm roundabout on Downs Road linked to a controversial roundabout on the A40.

The planning application was deferred for continued talks on developer funding and will be discussed again by the council in the spring.

Councillor Jeff Haine said: “The major problem at the moment is the roundabout on the A40.

“It could be something we could live to regret for a great number of years because I think it could be dangerous and lead to shunting accidents.

“We should revisit it and look at a four-way junction, which would be considerably safer.”

Council leader Barry Norton said: “It is very important not just for this part of Witney but for the rest of the town that we get the junction open at a very early stage of development.”