A DEAL to fund a £100m bridge across the Thames in South Oxfordshire could be struck if council chiefs back plans for two controversial new towns.

In exchange for funding the crossing between Didcot and Culham, two government agencies could be allowed to build thousands of homes at both Chalgrove Airfield and Culham science campus.

South Oxfordshire District Council has previously only backed the Homes and Communities Agency’s plan for 3,500 homes at the airfield, while the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s proposal for a 3,000-home ‘science city’ at Culham was seen as unviable without the bridge.

But a senior source revealed the government agencies could now jointly provide ‘significant’ funding for the bridge and other roads schemes, with the council borrowing the remainder.

This would mean both developments would go ahead, after being included in a new Local Plan.

The source told the Oxford Mail: “It has been suggested it might be possible to deliver the bridge sooner rather than later.

“We have said in the past that if the bridge is delivered then housing at Culham becomes a much more serious possibility.

“They [the UKAEA] have now had discussions with the HCA after we pushed them together.”

Thelong-awaited bridge scheme would open a new route between Didcot and Culham and is seen as vital to reducing congestion on the A34. It has also been described as ‘essential’ to boosting the success of the so-called ‘Science Vale’ area.

It is understood the new funding proposal emerged after fresh presentations from developers behind a number of large development sites across South Oxfordshire.

District council leader John Cotton said he could not comment on the claims, but added: “We have always made it clear final decisions have yet to be taken, so up until that point we will examine every opportunity presented to us.”

A spokesman for the Homes and Communities Agency confirmed discussions were taking place, adding: “The HCA’s infrastructure-first approach will help to connect the new community at the Chalgrove Airfield site to and help support the planned employment growth to the south of Oxford.”

In addition to the bridge, bypasses at Clifton Hampden, Stadhampton, Benson and Watlington are also being considered.