THE former mayor of Wallingford, Bernard Stone, has warned that new homes planned for the area will bring too much traffic into the town.

He was speaking after proposals to build 177 homes in Benson, north of the town, were revealed.

House builder R J and S Styles has applied for planning permission to build 125 homes, 41 retirement flats and 11 retirement bungalows in Littleworth Road.

Town councillor Mr Stone said: “The town council is concerned not only about the number of houses coming into town but the immediate surrounding villages.

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“Wallingford is unusual in having these large villages right on its boundary like Benson and Cholsey, so we have to look at the impact of this on Wallingford.

“Clearly these people will come to Wallingford. There are some shops in Benson but if they want to go to a supermarket, Waitrose Wallingford is nearby.”

Mr Stone added: “On the one hand that’s a good thing but the downside is the roads, the car parking; it is about the balance.

“Getting across from Benson to Wallingford isn’t easy, you either have to go across Shillingford Bridge or the old Wallingford Bridge. The Saxons didn’t plan Wallingford for all these cars and we can’t widen what is there.”

Benson Parish Council leader Jon Fowler agreed there would be a significant traffic impact from the new estate on the existing narrow, historical roads.

He said: “This would put a lot of traffic through the village pinch points.

“Where the B4009 comes into the village it narrows considerably.

“The principle way out of that development to get to the M40 or Wallingford would be through these pinch points.”

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