A COUNTY councillor has called out a housing developer for not yet completing some ‘promised’ infrastructure which was a condition of planning permission.

Kings Gate, a 200 dwelling estate being built to the land north west of Abingdon bound by Wootton Road, Dunmore Road and the A34, was granted planning permission by the Vale of White Horse District Council in 2016.

Developers David Wilson Homes Southern agreed to a number of section 106 Agreements which are legal agreements or obligations between local authorities and developers linked to planning permissions and will be used to support services and improve the town’s facilities.

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However, Oxfordshire county councillor Nathan Ley, who represents Abingdon, has pointed out several ‘promises’ which have not yet been carried out after concerns from residents.

In a post on Facebook, he said: “I’m not an expert at all as I'm not on the district council, and therefore any planning committee, but I’m looking into these particular issues because some of the new residents have asked me and they and us all deserve to know what’s going beyond the glossy sales brochure.”

The first piece of infrastructure agreed yet to be built is the ‘Tilsley Park link’ which is to include a cycle/footway and bridge between the site and Tilsley Park, allowing for an off-road connection for all who live there to access the park and vice versa for those going west who want to stay off the main road.

This is required after 50 homes have been built, which Mr Ley and residents state have happened.

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Mr Ley said: “The district council were advised in October that there were 38 only [homes]. They’ve agreed to do a ‘recount’ with the developer now but by rights I think this should be happening already.”

Similarly, a Wootton Road cycle path is also planned after 50 homes have been built which should allegedly start being built in the spring.

However, Mr Ley said: “It’s more complicated than it sounds, involving many different landowners, covenants, and a currently-half-collapsed council-owned wall.”

The third is a planned public play area and public open space to be located at the front of the site closest to the Dunmore Road roundabout.

Mr Ley said the park isn’t required until 90 per cent of the 200 homes are built so is ‘still a way off’.

He said: “I can’t see the developer doing these things before they have to, sadly, because that’s how they operate. But I do declare a personal interest and I will keep tabs on this.”

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Lastly, the developers have ‘promised’ a piece of public art works. Mr Ley said: “I have no idea what this is but money is set aside for this from the developer once occupation is near complete.

“I guess this is pretty much a cake-icer which will come very last in the sequence.”

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This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford and Wantage.

Get in touch with her by emailing: gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @geeharland