Frustrated villagers feel ‘left in the dark’ after the government delayed its decision over a controversial housing development for a third time.

The future of JT Leavesley’s plan to build more than 350 homes on green belt land off Papist Way in Cholsey was set to be determined by Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on Thursday (August 10).

But the minister has pushed his decision back to October.

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“We’re just frustrated, and the main thing is none of us understand why it’s been delayed,” said Lis Nixon, chair of Cholsey Parish Council.

“The situation has suddenly become opaque and we feel left in the dark.”.

The original development plans were rejected by South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, but the decision was appealed by the developers last year.

Mr Gove was due to decide on this appeal on April 13.

His decision was pushed back to June, then to August, and now to October.

Ms Nixon said: “To add 350 houses to a village that has three-and-a-half thousand people doesn’t make sense to me.

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“There’s no infrastructure for it and it would change the whole feel of the village. You move here because you want to live in a village, not because you want to live in a town.

“We know there wouldn’t be enough places in the school. There’s no GP, no dentist, and there’s not enough shops.

"We already have problems with water and sewage – Thames Water are forever in the village doing things – and this would worsen the issue.”

Parish councillor Kyn Pomlett, who represented the council when a public inquiry was held in September 2022, said he was “frustrated and upset” by the delay.

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“The decision lies with Gove and it’s the third delay we have had,” he said.

“It affects people. You can’t move forward. I have heard of people who live next to that field who say they will move if the decision goes ahead.

“It will be so onerous and so destructive to the community that people are considering moving away.

"It would increase the village population by a third and would have a massive impact.”

Cllr Pomlett said that villagers had heard “nothing back” from Wantage MP David Johnston about the decision.

When contacted by the Oxford Mail, Mr Johnston said: “I know that this is frustrating for residents and, while it is not uncommon for deadlines like this to be postponed as more time is required, I hope to see a decision made as soon as possible.”