A MAJOR housing development - which will boost Didcot's population by a third - has been approved by planners.

South Oxfordshire District Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council gave the seal of approval to the 3,300-home Great Western Park development on the western edge of the town.

And a £65m package of facilities for the growing population has been secured in a deal with housebuilders Taylor Wimpey. Bulldozers are expected move on to the site, which lies in both districts, next year.

The company is one of a number of major building firms affected by the current financial situation, but a spokesman said it was committed to the development.

He said: "We need further approval on certain matters, but we expect construction to commence in 2009."

The 180-hectare site will stretch from the A4130 in the north of Didcot to the Wantage Road and south to Park Road.

Developers aim to build 50 homes in 2009, 250 in 2010 and 400 the following year. The whole site is expected to take ten years to complete. Alongside the houses - 1,000 of which will be "affordable homes" - two new primary schools, a secondary school, open spaces, shops, services, play areas, two community centres and a health centre will be built on the site.

A road linking the A4130 through the development to the Wantage Road at a new junction will be constructed too.

Taylor Wimpey will also improve roads around the town, including Rowstock and Power Station roundabouts, off-road cycleways and a link to Cow Lane bridleway in the west.

Didcot Town Council leader John Flood said: "It's excellent news for Didcot. It means Didcot stage two will go ahead with more certainty."

However, residents living near the development site were less pleased with the news. Ken Mills, 65, of Slade Road, said: "It's disgraceful, it's annoying no councils ever listen to ordinary people. I worry about the new people coming and what are they planning to do with all the extra cars to come along the Didcot to Harwell Road, which is terrible now."

Don Robertson, 76, also of Slade Road, said: "I don't think much of it, but what will be will be. We've been against it from the start."

South Oxfordshire district councillor Angie Paterson, cabinet member for planning, said: "It's great news the Great Western Park development now has its official stamp of approval."

Taylor Wimpey will submit final plans, illustrating the final details of the site and houses to the councils for approval later this year.

Before any houses are built, roads, drainage infrastructure and landscaping must be completed. Work on houses south of the Wantage Road will not start until the northern phase is completed.

Vale district councillor, Mary de Vere, executive member for planning and community strategy, added: "It has taken a long time to negotiate a comprehensive package of infrastructure provision, financial contributions and affordable housing, but the end result is a development which will benefit existing and new residents in the area."