Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has been urged by Didcot Town Council to approve a contentious multi-million pound road scheme.
In a unanimous vote at an extraordinary meeting last night (Monday, August 7), the council passed a motion which called on the secretary of state to grant permission for the £269 million HIF1 Didcot relief road with improvements.
It comes after Oxfordshire County Council's planning committee refused the road in a bombshell decision last month despite recommendations from planning officers that it should be approved.
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Just a week later, it was announced that Mr Gove had called the decision in for review.
Town councillor David Rouane, who is also leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said he believed the road would be approved after the government inspection.
“It is an independent process, and we have to trust the process that it will come out with the right decision," he said.
"I think it will be passed, but hopefully with some improvements.”
The HIF1 proposals include building a dual carriageway on the A4130 from the A34 Milton Interchange towards Didcot, new bridges, and a Clifton Hampden bypass.
Chris Jennings, leader of the town council, said: “It’s not perfect. There will always be someone who is adversely affected. But we need this.”
There will be a review of the HIF1 scheme by the government-appointed planning inspectorate and the Secretary of State will take the final decision about whether to approve the application.
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