A PRIVATE consortium has hired one of Britain’s leading architects to create a masterplan for how Wallingford should develop.

The news came as South Oxfordshire District Council delayed a decision on where to build 750 new homes around the town until after the General Election.

Sir Terry Farrell, who earlier this month criticised the creation of big extensions to towns to meet housing targets when he spoke at a meeting in Wallingford hosted by Wantage MP Ed Vaizey, has been commissioned by P3Eco to draw up an alternative plan for the town’s future growth.

The consortium, which is behind plans for an eco-town at Bicester, has yet to consult the district council, which said it knew nothing about the project when contacted by the Oxford Mail.

In a separate development, the council’s chief executive David Buckle has postponed a cabinet decision on which sites should take new homes until after the election, saying it was “increasingly obvious” the controversy would become an election issue.

If the national poll takes place on Thursday, May 6, on the same day as council elections, Mr Buckle said he expected the cabinet would vote on the Local Development Framework core strategy in June.

Mr Vaizey said the council had “seen sense” and that an incoming Conservative Government could reduce the number of houses scheduled to be built in Wallingford.

He said: “This provides a much-needed opportunity to reflect on what’s a hugely significant issue for all the communities I represent and to try to have a more holistic approach.”

Sir Terry said it was not too late for the district council to embrace his approach to town planning.

He believes the process should start with a discussion about how residents want a town to grow, including the place of community facilities and infrastructure, rather than simply building out to meet housing targets.

The architect, whose buildings include the MI6 headquarters in London, will hold workshops with residents as part of a six-month project.

He said: “If, after the end of the six months, there are certain projects or packets of development that generally get enough support, then P3Eco will seek help from developers to carry that out."

The consortium was set up to develop an eco-town on the edge of Bicester and regenerate the town in conjunction with Cherwell District Council.

South Oxfordshire’s cabinet member for planning, Angie Paterson, said she had “absolutely no knowledge” of the project in Wallingford.

She said even if a new Government reviewed housing allocations, the council still had to prepare a plan.

David Walters, of campaign group Save Winterbrook, said Sir Terry's views on planning “made sense to everybody”.

He said: “His firm goes about it in a more logical, sensible and thoughtful way.”