Villagers in an Oxfordshire community have expressed concerns about local facilities during discussions about possibly gaining town status, with parish council members not ruling out a future change in status.

Locals have identified insufficient infrastructure in Grove as their main concern, rather than the question of whether the settlement should receive town designation.

The debate emerged after Kidlington made the switch from village to town, having previously held the distinction of being Oxfordshire’s largest village and the country’s biggest village.

A Grove parish council spokesperson indicated that the council has not yet considered this issue, though it might be reviewed at some point.

The spokesperson noted that the Kidlington council’s choice had sparked disagreement.

Local inhabitant Wendy Jones told this newspaper that Kidlington councillors had refused to hold a public vote on the matter and urged Grove not to follow the approach they characterized as anti-democratic.

Those backing Kidlington’s upgrade pointed to changes to national planning rules introduced last year, which offer stronger safeguards for green belt land encircling towns while reducing green belt designations near villages to grey belt classification.

Grove’s Wellington Gate scheme will eventually contain roughly 2,500 homes.

Another policy alteration means Kidlington gains access to greater policing funding if designated a town.

House of Commons records indicate that settlements face no compulsory criteria for obtaining town status, though communities with populations surpassing 7,500 inhabitants typically contemplate such a move.

Grove recorded a population of 8,336 in the 2021 Census, and growth continues swiftly, with research from 24housing.co.uk showing the Vale of White Horse district featured among the top 10 local authorities for new building in the UK between 2020 and 2023.

Nonetheless, many locals feel that infrastructure and amenities have failed to match housing expansion.

In a public Facebook community, resident Paul Barnes wrote that becoming a town might bring some facilities.

In contrast, another local, Nicholas Horton, characterized seeking town status as merely an administrative exercise driven by vanity.

He added that Grove currently consists of a vast, sprawling, flat and uninspiring residential development. Without a working town centre, shopping area, or the long-anticipated railway station, this modification amounts to nothing more than a designation.

Didcot and Wantage MP Olly Glover holds this opinion and has actively championed local campaigns for a railway station.

Mr Glover said improved connectivity is vital in and around Grove to serve the new homes being built. This is a key reason he is pushing hard for a new railway station in Grove, alongside better cycling options and public transport on routes including the A417. He has also raised in Parliament the need for investment in leisure and cultural venues to accompany new housing developments.