South Oxfordshire 13,500 new homes plan taken to court of appeal

Campaigners challenging a council's housing plans are taking their fight to the Court of Appeal.

The High Court has thrown out two cases made by Bioabundance, a group of residents against proposals to build 13,500 homes in South Oxfordshire.

However, they still intend to pursue a legal battle against South Oxford District Council over environmental impact concerns in its Local Plan.

The council said it was waiting to hear from the Court of Appeal.

It comes after housing proposals were approved by a coalition of Liberal Democrats and Green councillors in December, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Both parties were voted in on promises of trying to get the Local Plan overturned, but councillors said they were "forced" to approve it.

So far the plan, which is a blueprint of development up until 2035, has cost more than £3.6m.

It proposes building thousands of homes on green and brown belt sites, including Grenoble Road, Culham and Chalgrove Airfield.

Bioabundance director and South Oxfordshire councillor Sue Roberts, previously said the plan "grossly over provides for housing".

After the second legal challenge was denied, fellow Bioabundance director Ian Ashley said: "High Court judges could not see the legal strength of our arguments.

"We are going to the Court of Appeal to ask, 'Could you mark their work please? They could be wrong'."

South Oxford District Council said it was awaiting notification from the Court of Appeal of any future step.

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