A MAJOR developer that was accused of trying to 'weasel around' a traffic pledge in South Oxfordshire has spoken out.

David Wilson Homes, the developer for the North West Abingdon site, submitted an amendment to its proposal to allow 30 homes to be sold before works on the access road to the huge estate are completed.

The condition to address mounting traffic concerns on Wootton Road, which were top of many residents' thoughts, was imposed by Vale of White Horse District Council when its planning committee approved the major application that is part of the Local Plan.

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It included access for vehicles to the site from Wootton Road, a three-metre wide footpath and cyclepath within the site and with access to the busy road, a ghost right turn lane on Wootton Road serving this site, and uncontrolled crossings for pedestrians.

A spokesperson for David Wilson Homes Southern commented on the controversial amendment, which has already received mounting criticism from residents and councillors.

A statement from the housebuilder read: "As part of the planning agreement for our upcoming development in Abingdon, we will be working on multiple road improvement plans which, to minimise disruption and prioritise safety in the local area, cannot be completed simultaneously.

"We are now working closely with Oxfordshire County Council to establish a temporary solution to the access on Wootton Road to support 30 properties initially, before the final works can be completed efficiently."