A developer has lodged an 11th-hour legal bid to overturn plans for large-scale housing on the edge of Didcot.

Oxfordshire County Council finally adopted last month an alteration to the Oxfordshire Structure Plan, agreeing that more than 3,200 new homes should be built mainly to the west of the town.

The council supported proposals by Wimpey to develop land along the western boundary of Didcot towards East and West Hagbourne.

But Persimmon Homes, which also wants to build west of Didcot but with new homes spread out alongside the A4130 opposite the main Didcot to Swindon railway line, has lodged a legal challenge in the High Court.

The legal proceedings have been launched in the final week of a six-week period to challenge the decision before the change to the Structure Plan was confirmed.

Philip Neale, land director at Persimmon, claimed the county council favoured the Wimpey option "while never giving adequate reasons why Persimmon's proposals were unacceptable".

He added: "We do not commence legal action lightly, but we feel that we have been left little choice."

The High Court action will be a major setback for Didcot's expansion and could cost the county council thousands of pounds in legal costs.

A bitter debate has raged between villages and communities north-east and west of the town over the direction of Didcot's growth.

County councillor Terry Joslin said some members of the main political groups on the council were unhappy with the Wimpey plan "because it would swallow up too much higher grade farm land".