In 2021, the Vale of White Horse District Council initially approved outline plans for 400 new homes at Monks Farm in Grove, near Wantage. This development, led by David Wilson Homes, will ultimately comprise 483 homes and includes plans for expanding Grove Primary School, establishing new playing fields, creating two car parks, and installing an artificial pitch.
Detailed plans have already received planning permission for 160 of these homes and the primary school’s expansion. Recently, plans for an additional 108 homes were submitted, featuring public open space, a multi-use games area, and access routes for vehicles and pedestrians via the Grove Northern Link Road. These new homes will range from two- to five-bedroom properties.
Councillor Ron Batstone, representative of Grove North on the district council, expressed his views: “I have no objections in principle to the development on Monks Farm as it aligns with the local plan. However, it is crucial that the associated infrastructure, especially the northern link road and bridge, is constructed. Additionally, the promised proportion of affordable housing must be delivered, as our area desperately needs it.”
The full development will indeed feature affordable housing, but this 108-unit segment will not. According to the planning statement, “No affordable dwellings are proposed and this is the subject of a separate S106A application due to the site’s viability. This phase will instead offer a higher proportion of 2- and 3-bedroom market dwellings.” The overall housing mix for the full 400 units remains under consideration in that application.
Originally, the developer had agreed to build the Letcombe Brook Bridge in Grove as part of the 400-home authorization, with a mandate set by the council on occupancy limits prior to the bridge’s completion. The bridge is vital for allowing Monks Farm residents to access the A338 without rerouting through the heart of Grove.
Despite attempts to revise the bridge-building condition in 2023, community and parish council feedback led to its continuation. Approval of detailed plans for the Letcombe Brook Bridge and the eastern segment of the Grove Northern Relief Road came in March 2025. This anticipated relief road, in discussion since the 1970s, aims to connect Station Road with numerous residential developments in northwest Grove, including Wellington Gate.
A public consultation on the 108-homes plan is currently open and will close on July 16. Those interested in participating are encouraged to submit their feedback before the deadline. For businesses in the area or those contributing to local events, explore opportunities to create free business profiles or organize local activities by visiting our directory submission page.
