THE approval of two pedestrian crossings needed to allow a 160-home development in Abingdon to go ahead is being challenged.

Last month the crossing proposals were agreed by Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith, paving the way for the housing on a greenfield site off Drayton Road.

But now the move is to be reviewed after it was called in by Abingdon South member Neil Fawcett and nine other county councillors including Sandy Lovatt, also the town council leader.

Last year, a Government planning inspector made the crossings an essential requirement for the new estate after allowing an appeal against Vale of White Horse District Council’s refusal of planning permission for the homes.

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Mr Nimmo Smith agreed the crossings could go either side of the two mini-roundabouts in Spring Road. One would be built in Ock Street, close to the roundabouts, while an existing crossing in Marcham Road would be moved further west from Drayton Road.

One reason the decision has been called in is because Mr Nimmo Smith visited the site on a Saturday, when the main objection to moving the crossing was because of the existing crossing’s convenience for schoolchildren walking from South Abingdon to Larkmead School.

The case will now be looked at by the county’s performance scrutiny committee on Monday, which will decide whether or not to refer the ruling back to the cabinet.

Mr Fawcett said traffic delays last week in Drayton Road, caused by Thames Water roadworks, demonstrated the road system would not be able to cope with any other hold-ups. He said: “I have no doubt the crossings will cause traffic to back up all the way along Ock Street and into the town centre.

“The Thames Water roadworks were not major but they caused gridlock along Drayton Road and Spring Road and cars were also tailing back along Marcham Road to the A34.

“It doesn’t make sense to put another crossing on the Ock Street side of the Spring Road roundabout. The crossings alone will undoubtedly delay the traffic but if 160 new homes are built off Drayton Road it will be even worse.”

Mr Nimmo Smith approved the crossings, saying “safety and traffic delays” would be monitored afterwards.

But Mr Fawcett said his decision did not appear to be based on Department for Transport guidance that the safest possible crossing location should be found.

The housebuilder has submitted estate plans to the Vale, but it has not yet been determined.

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