PLANS for a new 555-home estate for Wallingford have been backed by South Oxfordshire district councillors.

The application for the homes and a primary school at Slade End Farm off Wantage Road was approved on Wednesday by SODC's planning committee on Wednesday.

Wallingford county councillor Lynda Atkins said she was pleased the plans had been given the go-ahead.

She added: "I think it took too long to get to this point but now we will finally have these new homes being built and I would like construction work to start as soon as possible."

Last month it emerged that a wish list of schemes for the town could have to be cut back if developers St Edward Homes failed to pay sufficient contributions towards local infrastructure improvements worth almost £1m.

Negotiations over the total cost of paying for improvement projects – known as developer contributions – were thought to be holding up the application but an agreement was reached.

In total, £13.8m worth of 'infrastructure' contributions have been agreed but there will only be 26 per cent affordable housing in the estate, below SODC's target of 40 per cent.

St Edward, a joint venture owned by the Prudential Assurance Company and Berkeley Homes, previously said it hoped work would start in 2017 once it had been given planning permission.

Berkeley Homes is also proposing to build 500 homes at Winterbrook in Wallingford.

Ms Atkins added: "Wallingford has grown quite gradually in recent years but now it faces rapid growth and we need to make sure all the right infrastructure - schools and transport links - are in place."

St Edward has not yet commented.