THE Williams F1 team is considering plans to build 180 homes next to its factory in Grove.

The team’s site covers 80 acres, of which only 30 are used for its operations, and it has identified a 14-acre plot that could be used for housing.

But residents have raised concerns that local services might not be able to cope with more houses being built.

About 5,500 homes are due to be built in Wantage and Grove over the next 15 years in major estates such as the 2,500-home Grove airfield and 1,500-home Crab Hill developments.

The site being suggested for development by Williams F1 – known as Monks Farm – is part of Vale of White Horse District Council’s Local Plan, which shows where estates should be built by 2031.

Julie Mabberley, chairwoman of Wantage and Grove Campaign group, said local services needed to be improved before more housing was built.

She said: “The schools and roads need to be improved. The work on the northern ring road that is supposed to go from the Airfields development to Williams F1 should be started before more applications are put in.”

The development would contain 180 homes with access from Station Road and public open space.

An application has been submitted by planning consultants Strutt Parker that said that contributions would be secured to try to lessen the impact on services such as education, leisure and healthcare.

Williams F1 is now seeing whether an Environmental Impact Assessment would be necessary before pressing ahead with the proposals on land to the west of Station Road.

A spokesman for the company said: “Williams Grand Prix Engineering Ltd owns land in Grove, Oxfordshire, that surrounds our engineering facilities.

“Known locally as Monks Farm, this land is not being utilised by the company and we are assessing options on how it can be better used in future."“We are currently working with local governmental bodies to assess our options.”

He added: “The plot currently being assessed for potential development is only 14 acres, but would help to support the Vale of White Horse District Council’s draft Local Plan which has identified Monks Farm as a possible location for new housing in order to help achieve their residential targets.”