PLANS for 100 homes on the edge of a South Oxfordshire village have re-emerged after two years of silence of the development,

The new homes would be built at Newnham Manor on the eastern edge of Crowmarsh Gifford.

They were first touted in 2016 by developer Avant Homes, which won planning permission to build the estate in 2018.

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The plan still includes many of the same features as then, including 40 per cent affordable homes, new land for the village primary school and an open parkland area.

However the developer has also tried to address problems with the 100 new homes, and said its new scheme would ‘combat climate change, improve connectivity, as well as encourage biodiversity and sustainability’.

In 2018, Crowmarsh residents were worried about the size of the development and plans for a new turning off the A4074, which they thought could be dangerous.

Oxford Mail:

Benson and Cholsey county councillor Mark Gray also raised concerns about the junction with district planning chiefs.

According to documents submitted with a new planning application, Avant Homes has been holding behind-the-scenes discussions with South Oxfordshire District Council to improve the plans since 2018.

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The new version of the plans tries to make the exit from the estate onto the busy main road a lot safer.

Drivers would only be able to turn left as they exit onto the A4074 and head north towards the Crowmarsh roundabout.

There are also plans for an updated version of traffic light controls on the junction and a longer central reservation, which it is hoped would stop drivers from trying to turn right across the road.

The A4074 near Crowmarsh has been the site of several fatal accidents in recent years.

Oxford Mail:

Avant Homes’ new scheme also includes pavements alongside the road which would allow residents of the new homes to walk into the village.

The company has also tried to make the homes more sustainable as the government and local councils are updating environmental requirements for homes.

The new measures include better insulation and more efficient boilers to stop energy being wasted.

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The council also told Avant Homes it should ‘pepper pot’ the 40 per cent affordable homes throughout the new estate, to avoid them all being in the same area.

Affordable homes, as classified by the UK government, are sold at 80 per cent of the usual market value.

In its latest planning proposals, the developer said its plans for a park to the south of the estate would ‘directly benefit the setting of Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, improve the historic setting of Newnham Manor as well as provide new ecological/biodiversity and recreation opportunities’.

In 2018, some member of Crowmarsh parish council were worried the plan would cause disruption to people living at Robert Sparrow Gardens on the east side of the A4074.

For more information about the new planning application, visit South Oxfordshire District Council’s website and search planning reference P20/S1524/SCR