£3m sought for Wallingford education from 195-home project

The 195-home development on agricultural fields east of Benson Lane in Crowmarsh Gifford is expected to boost the area's population by 468 residents.

Of that, it is believed there could be an extra 71 nursery and primary pupils and 43 secondary pupils, as well as 49 over-65s.

Oxfordshire County Council's education team has withdrawn an earlier objection over secondary school places, on the basis the the developer Bloor Homes can provide £3.83m for education.

The proposed development site, east of Benson Lane in Crowmarsh Gifford, bordering the McCulloch Meadows estate (Image: Bloor Homes)

Emma Daisley, school organisation and planning officer at the county council, worked out that this would be £1.85m for primary and nursery education, £1.81m for secondary education and £165,253 for special educational needs provision.

She said in a report: "Since the county council's previous response was submitted, further discussions have taken place regarding the future of Wallingford School.

"The Department for Education is currently undertaking a feasibility study for the proposed rebuilding of the school."

These feasibility studies will consider expanding the annual admission numbers to 270 pupils as part of the rebuild project.

"If deliverable, this would provide flexibility to respond to future increases in secondary pupil demand, including any demand generated by new residential development in the area," Ms Daisley said.

"The feasibility assessment is expected to conclude later in the autumn term."

St Nicholas Primary School is expected to accommodate the pupils generated by the development, and uses that as the justification for seeking a major education contribution.

St Nicholas Infant School pupils pose at the ground-breaking ceremony (Image: Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust)

Villager Peter Mason had previously raised concerns about schools not being able to cope at a parish council meeting.

Meanwhile, transport chiefs continue to formally object to the development of traffic concerns, which include capacity problems at several junctions already operating above capacity.

The county says junctions around Wallingford, including Port Way and Nosworthy Way, are already congested and would see additional pressure from the development.

Paul Harrison, a development control consultant, suggested Bloor Homes contribute £265,980 for bus services, 115,750 for active travel improvements and £83,098 towards cycling and walking improvements along Benson Lane.

Other transport contributions taking the total transport package to nearly £490,000.

Thames Travel's Nick Small said his services are "substantially better than" what the developer had set out in documents to South Oxfordshire District Council.

Mr Small pointed out that the X40 "River Rapids" service between Oxford and Reading now runs up to every 20 minutes following a £3m investment and that the 33 links Didcot, Wallingford and Reading.

A spokeswoman from Bloor Homes said: "Technical queries and requests for contributions have been received from consultees, including the county council. We provided our views on these to the case officer dealing with the application.

"We would expect that the case officer will consider those, alongside national planning policy, as part of his assessment of the scheme.

"Similarly, advice on those aspects will be part of the officer’s report to committee members when it is published.”