TWO years on since an arson attack gutted a council building near their homes, residents in a village near Wallingford are calling for council leaders to decide on its future.

The £10m council offices in Crowmarsh Gifford were almost completely destroyed on January 15 in 2015 when Andrew Main, 47, of nearby Rokemarsh, set it alight, together with the neighbouring Howard Chadwick funeral parlour and a cottage in Rokemarsh.

The offices in Benson Lane housed about 400 staff from South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils, who have since moved to Milton Park.

In October SODC leader John Cotton said a final decision on a permanent home for the council had not yet been made.

But residents said the uncertainty was not good for the village and urged council leaders to make a decision on the building's future, two years on from the blaze.

Father-of-two Philip Tremayne, 64, who is leading an action group against over-development of Crowmarsh Gifford, said the council offices location was a brownfield site and could be considered for housing.

He said: "A number of developers have come forward with plans to build homes in the village at different sites.

"The village accepts that some new homes have to be built, but potentially some new houses could be built at the council site so the uncertainty surrounding it is frustrating.

"SODC needs to conduct a review and sort out its plans regarding the council building because developers are queuing up to build homes in different locations in the village.

"The burnt-out council offices are an eyesore and as each day passes the buildings fall more and more into disrepair, with red kites flying through the broken windows.

"The sooner the council makes a decision the better."

Bloor Homes and Hallam Land Management have applied to put 150 homes east of Benson Lane, while Exilarch’s Foundation and Lightwood Strategic have plans for 80 homes in Old Reading Road.

This would include 40 per cent affordable housing, a community hall and facilities, including a sports pitch and parking for Crowmarsh Gifford Primary School.

The options open to SODC are rebuilding the Crowmarsh site with staff returning, selling the Crowmarsh site and use the cash to build a whole new headquarters, or continuing to rent at Milton Park or at a different location.

SODC council leader John Cotton said: "We are keen to make a decision soon on the future of the site - it's close to the top of the list of matters that need to be sorted.

"A number of schemes have been suggested as a possibility for the site in the past, including building sheltered housing, and a small number of homes.

"But that would depend on us not occupying the site ourselves and that issue has not yet been decided.

"No date yet has been set for a decision but this is a priority."

The funeral parlour close to the entrance of the council site has now been completely revamped.