A VILLAGE which can trace its history back to the Domesday Book is fighting to retain its identity after an application for more than 4,000 homes on its doorstep was approved.

Historic Harwell has seen its fair share of developments in recent years with work undergoing at Blenheim Hill, Harwell Campus, Grove Road and Talbot Close.

But after planning approval was granted for 4,254 homes at a meeting last week and with a potential 60 homes coming to Didcot Road, residents feel they are "overwhelmed" and "hemmed in" by development.

Fighting to retain its identity and not to become an "urban sprawl" of Didcot, Harwell Parish Councillor David Marsh was disappointed the village's boundaries were not respected by the developers nor protected by Vale of White Horse district council's local plan.

He said: "The 40 per cent expansion in five years is going to put a strain on any community.

"It is not that we should not have a 40 per cent expansion – we are probably due a catch-up – but to get them all in one fell swoop is just too much.

"We have had three times the number of planning applications and the amount of time we spend on deciding who is going to look after what when it comes to these developments – it seems like as councillors that is all we do.

"We want to preserve the village and its historic identity and make sure it does not get merged into greater Didcot."

The application put forward by Hallam Land Management, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes for the "Valley Park" estate would also see leisure facilities, three new schools, including a special needs school and two parks adjacent to the village.

Mr Marsh added: "We were told that the developers were going to have these green buffers in between Valley Park and Harwell, to keep it separate from the village.

"But it was very disappointing to find that this green buffer is going to be 35 metres.

"We are hoping and will still fight to have that increased so we can retain our identity."

Ben Meynell, development surveyor at Hallam, said his firm was "delighted" to have won permission and said the next step would be to sign an agreement with the Vale over how many millions to contribute to local council services such as schools, roads and leisure.

Meanwhile Harwell is also waiting to see whether the Vale will grant permission for another 60 homes in the village.

The proposed development, known as Didcot Road, would take up the last green strip of land which separates Harwell from Didcot.

Alison Goodall lives opposite the proposed site and voiced concern the unique character of Didcot will be lost if this green patch of land should go for development.

The 45-year-old who has lived in Didcot for 11 years said: "I think if they build on this last bit of green space between Harwell and Didcot then you are going to be in real danger of losing the unique character of Harwell.

"We feel hemmed in and overwhelmed by development."

That scheme is now due to be decided by June 1 at the latest.

Residents can view the plans online at whitehorsedc.gov.uk using reference number P16/V0533/O.