THE new mayor of Didcot has called better roads, shops, pubs and health care as a new neighbourhood development progress.
Councillor Pam Siggers, who was elected this month, said the infrastructure “should have been in place first” before a total of 1,880 were approved in North East Didcot in June 2017.
Developers have now submitted plans for the next 287 homes at the site to the north of the A4130 peripheral road and to the west of the Ladygrove estate.
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The development includes two new primary schools, a secondary school, a new leisure facility, neighbourhood centre, community hall and an extra care facility. It also includes plans for allotments and a children’s play area.
However Dr Siggers said more focus should be given to installing infrastructure in the town such as a minor injuries unit.
She said: “Infrastructure should have been in place first but that's the case with a lot of these new developments.
“It's more things like GP surgeries that we need and I think Didcot needs a minor injury unit as well. So I think developers need to think about how they can provide these services.
“I think it's really important and I think that's what the people of Didcot really want. Also more shops, restaurants and pubs are needed.
“Housing developments should also be more connected as well as the Great Western Park estate feels isolated from others so it's important to install footpaths and cycleways.”
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She added: “We really need to get the bypass from Hadden Hill installed to stop traffic by Tesco as well.”
Ladygrove councillor Bill Service agreed that infrastructure should be prioritised. He said: “My own view is that the infrastructure should really go in before any other developments in Didcot take place as the traffic is now a major issue.
“That should be sorted before any more houses come to Didcot in the future but that never happens.”
The North East Didcot development started construction in August 2016 beginning with 173 homes along with transport improvements, wildflower meadows and drainage work.
The newest plans include additional access for construction workers, more landscape planting, planted separation between a cycleway and road, and wider footpaths to the east of the proposed school.
As well as the 287 homes, which are a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced dwellings along with apartment, plans also includes building car parking, garages, internal access roads, footpaths and hard and soft landscaping.
Plans were submitted by developers Legal and General Homes, which is developing the north of the site, and Croudace, which is developing the southern part of the site.
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Croudace, which is developing the southern part of the site.
Public consultation is now open. To comment, search application reference number P22/S1734/DIS in the district council’s planning portal.
A decision will be made by Wednesday, June 22.
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Read more from this author
This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.
Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland
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