IT has been six months since Didcot was granted Garden Town Status and now a team of planning and infrastructure experts have been enlisted for the project.

In December last year the announcement of the town's new status came with the promise of 15,000 new homes and 20,000 hi-tech jobs in the next 15 years as well as a focus on green spaces and sustainability.

Councillor John Cotton, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said he was "delighted" to have some of the best experts from across the country on board.

He said: "This is a vital project for southern Oxfordshire that will bring significant benefits for the local and wider community and I know many people are keen to see what’s going to happen.

"The team we’ve appointed to lead Didcot Garden Town have been behind some major regeneration and infrastructure projects around the country."

The main consultant for the project will be planning and development specialist Quod, which has previously worked on London city airport and the Bluewater Shopping and Leisure Centre in Kent.

Quod's team will also include advisers from a range of other organisations, with a strong focus on transport, rail and infrastructure including advice coming from AMEC and Urban Engineering Studio.

Landscape architecture firm, Novell Tullett, will be brought on board to help with the green elements of the project.

Jane Fowells, director of the company, said: "I think the reason why we were attracted to the project is because we have worked on jobs that span the town and country.

"We understand the difference and the relationship between town and country is very important for this project.

"We will look at how the project can help the health and wellbeing by increasing activity of people who live in the town through walking and cycling."

Master planners Grimshaw will work to ensure the scheme benefits the entire Didcot Garden town area, while engagement experts Future Cities will help to make sure the local community are kept up to speed with the scheme's development.

The project, led by South Oxfordshire District Council, has currently received £470,000 in funding to deliver the planning stages of the project.

With a team in place, a project plan will now be produced, setting out a detailed timetable of the work to be carried out in the next six months.

Once the project plan is complete, the team will produce a comprehensive plan detailing what Didcot Garden Town will include – this is expected to be finalised by Spring 2017.

But Didcot Town Councillor Des Healy said he hoped this latest development would mean the town council would be kept in the loop on future decisions.

He said: "The first time the town council knew about the Garden City was in the Didcot Herald.

"I seriously hope now they have got a team and process that they will come and talk to the town council.

"As far as I am concerned we want to talk to them, find out what their plans are for infrastructure because everybody knows Didcot is becoming gridlocked.

"Where will this infrastructure go? By having Garden Town Status will we get the Harwell bypass?"