A DEVELOPER has sought Government intervention after its patience wore thin awaiting a lengthy housing decision.

Redrow has appealed to the Secretary of State for Communities and local Government, after a council failed to make a swift decision on its plan to build 200 homes in Sutton Courtenay, near Abingdon,.

The Hobbyhorse Lane site has been subject to controversy, due to traffic issues and villagers' concerns about its proximity to landfill sites.

Redrow's planning director Matthew Stock said: "It has now gone beyond the statutory period for determining a planning application.

"We are still hopeful of negotiating a solution with the local authority."

The non-determination appeal means that a government planning inspector will have final say over whether or not the application should be approved, rather than Vale of White Horse District Council's planning committee.

But Redrow has also submitted a duplicate planning application to the council.

Mr Stock said: "This simply allows us to continue discussions with the local authority pending the appeal being heard.

"Should we reach a satisfactory agreement in the meantime, the appeal would be withdrawn."

The initial application was submitted in October 2015 and was recommended for approval in March, with the site recommended for development in the Vale's own Local Plan.

But a dramatic decision saw a planning committee reject the application pending more information, echoing residents' concerns.

More details have since been submitted; most recently a traffic survey commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council.

The authority has now lodged a new objection to the application, stating development would cause 'excessive queuing' on nearby Abingdon Road and would have 'severe' impact on traffic.

Councils have a specific time in which to determine certain planning applications, and a district council spokesperson confirmed it had exceeded the limit with this particular plan.

Sutton Courtenay villager Anne Morgan-Smith branded Redrow's tactics outrageous.

She said: "Redrow realised planning permission would be refused again and now is playing the system.

"It's a complete waste of taxpayers time and money. It's time the Vale rejected it properly and Redrow accept the refusal."

Redrow's Mr Stock said the housebuilder has 'responded to all concerns through the statutory consultation process'.