A BLUEPRINT for 11,487 new homes in South Oxfordshire has been approved by a Government planning inspector, it was announced yesterday.

South Oxfordshire District Council’s planning blueprint, or “core strategy” sets out plans for housebuilding over the next 15 years.

The plan includes proposals for new neighbourhoods in Didcot and Wallingford, as well as other locations.

Angie Paterson, cabinet member for planning at the council, said: “We welcome the inspector’s finding that our strategy is sound.

“We have worked extremely hard to ensure that we get the balance right when allocating homes across the district. Now we can move forward with implementing it in the best interests of the whole district.”

The document doesn’t solve a long-running dispute between the authority and Oxford City Council, which wants to see homes built south of Grenoble Road, on South Oxfordshire District land.