Secretary of state for communities and local government Eric Pickles has declined a request to call in a planning bid for 1,500 homes in Grove.

The Wantage and Grove Campaign Group for sustainable development requested that Mr Pickles determine the application, which they saw as unsustainable, after it was given outline planning permission by Vale of White Horse District Council in February.

Planning casework manager Mike Walton told the group: “He is content it should be determined by the local planning authority.”