CAMPAIGNERS will have to wait to outline their concerns about traffiafter planning officers decided at the last minute to delay discussing plans for 166 new homes near Wallingford.

The plans were supposed to be discussed tonight at South Oxfordshire District Council, but officers decided they needed more time to discuss the project’s viability.

Developer Comer Homes wants to build 35 houses and 113 flats, along with facilities – including a swimming pool and restaurants — at Mongewell Park But residents claim that the development needs more access roads, and that the site’s single track will not be able to cope with traffic from the new households.

Amanda Weldon, representing Mongewell Residents’ Association, said: “Our main concern is for the vehicle access coming off the A4074.

“It’s right by the Mongewell roundabout, and traffic waiting to turn right will be backing right up on to the roundabout.

“The track also crosses the Ridgeway National Trail which has loads of people on.

“It isn’t suitable to deal with that level of traffic. It’s an accident waiting to happen.

“We’re not objecting to the 166 properties.

“We want it developed – but it’s this lack of access we are concerned about.”

However, an investigation by construction group WSP said the current driveway could cope with the traffic, as when Carmel College was an active boarding school, there had not been any problems.

The company said that while the private access drive “more recently served only a limited number of private residential properties, historically it served the boarding school for up to 500 pupils.”

The report also said that the proposed construction of new roads were not suitable and would produce a high risk of accidents. Planning officers had initially recommended that councillors on South Oxfordshire District Council planning committee approve the plan.

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