Campaigners are set for a third battle over a 245-home development on the border of South Oxfordshire and north Reading after the developer appealed to the high court.

Gladman Homes lodged the appeal after its planning application near Emmer Green was rejected by both South Oxford District Council (SODC) and a government inspector.

The Secretary of State will be the defendant against an accusation that its inspector acted improperly in refusing the Gladman appeal.

Councillor Clare Grashoff, Peppard ward representative for Reading Borough Council (RBC), said it would have ‘a significant impact on Reading’ if the development was to go ahead.

Cllr Grashoff said: “Gladman have based its application on the idea that people can go to school in Reading and use all Reading’s services.

“The housing need that Gladman said it would be meeting is in Oxfordshire but people are less likely to be going to Oxfordshire.

“Infrastructure is more limited in Emmer Green. We cannot have bus lanes here because the roads are too narrow.”

She added: “We have fought it. There is nothing we can do about it. That is between Gladman and the planning inspector. We just have to hope that the planning inspector made the right decision.”

Government inspector Nick Palmer dismissed Gladman’s appeal in November, ruling that development at the site would conflict with South Oxfordshire development policies for where houses should go, and would do significant harm to the landscape.

The developer claims government inspector Nick Palmer failed to correctly identify the relevant housing need figure and incorrectly assessed the South Oxfordshire deliverable housing supply.

The Campaign against Gladman in Eye and Dunsden (CAGE) have fought the plans since they were first put forward and are currently deciding whether to seek representation in court.

The group’s website states: “Gladman can expect to be met with a robust defence and we will provide further information here as it becomes available.”

Councillor Jane Stanford-Beale, representing RBC’s Peppard ward, added: “We are very disappointed because the inspector has already ruled on this. Our infrastructure is stretched.”