SUPPORT has piled in for a petition to delay plans for almost 1,000 homes until a 'vital' road junction is secured.

The long-promised scheme for a new diamond junction on the A34 in North Abingdon could be in jeopardy after a major cash bid fell through.

Councillors have compiled a petition to stop Vale of White Horse District Council passing a planning application for 950 homes near Dunmore Road unless cash materialises for the £18.4m southern sliproad scheme.

The Government revealed last week that it would award just £24.16m of a £382m bid to fund road projects in Oxfordshire – with no money allocated for Lodge Hill.

County councillor Alison Rooke said: "It's very worrying – Abingdon is desperate for this interchange. It's absolutely vital; we need to have funding. We have been pushing for it for donkeys' years."

Mrs Rooke and several of her Liberal Democrat colleagues have set up an online petition to reject CEG's application for the 950-home estate, which is currently under consultation, unless Conservatives can 'deliver on their promise' of the full interchange.

Fellow Lib Dem councillor Emily Smith said: "The modelling that's been done [for the application] mostly assumes that Lodge Hill would be in place by about 2020. There has not been much assessment in terms of what would happen if the interchange wasn't there. Logic tells us there will be more cars on the road and they've got to go somewhere.

"There's a real concern that the development could be waved through without having a plan in place - and that is not acceptable. We need homes but we need the infrastructure to go with them. The petition will demonstrate the strength of feeling amongst residents."

She added: "We were out gathering signatures in North Abingdon at the weekend and there was a lot of support for our position and the petition."

Town and district councillor Helen Pighills echoed concerns, adding: "Traffic is already bad enough in the town. Without having the full junction anybody who lives there will have to go through the town to get to places of employment like Harwell [Innovation Centre] and Milton Park. It affects the whole town."

Through developers' contributions CEG has pledged a significant amount of the Lodge Hill costs, but more than half the budget remains unaccounted for.

Robert Warne, chair of Sunningwell-based campaign group SPADE, added: "There is a significant shortfall on the total cost of the interchange that puts it totally out of reach. It's all gone a bit pear-shaped."

Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola Blackwood released a statement last week that said funding had been secured for Lodge Hill, before retracting it a few hours later.

She has since admitted she had 'been hoping for more' from the bid, which was made by Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), but insisted it still delivered 'good news'.

She said: "Discussions are continuing between myself, the LEP, Highways England and the Department for Transport to invest in Lodge Hill as a priority, and I will not let the pressure drop. A full diamond interchange is essential to relieve traffic pressure and support housing growth. The money must be found."

CEG spokesman James Garland said the developer was 'still committed to contribute its share to improvements to local road infrastructure', despite the 'significant reduction' in funds from the Government.

He added: "We have been in discussions with officers and members at a county and district council level for some time, and are confident that we can find a solution that enables the delivery of new homes and associated infrastructure to the north of Abingdon."

To sign the petition visit oxonlibdems.uk/lodgehill.