New homes start of 'enduring community' - developers

Initial plans for 350 homes have been submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council

Hundreds of new homes could be the "foundation for a sustainable, inclusive and enduring community" as the start of a new village, the developer behind the proposals have told the BBC.

The 350 homes at Kilkenny Farm, near Carterton, in Oxfordshire, could be the first of 6,500 in the surrounding area, HarperCrewe Bloombridge said.

Critics of the plans have labelled them "unsuitable" and a "disgrace", saying the negative impacts would "far outweigh any perceived benefits".

But Richard Cutler, from the developer, said the plans would deliver an "exemplary, sustainable new neighbourhood".

The proposals were submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) in February, and are currently under public consultation.

The scheme includes plans for a community hall and 122 properties available for "affordable rent and discounted sale".

Kilkenny Farm is to the north of Carterton

Mr Cutler, who has helped shape the plans over the past decade, said they had been "carefully designed" and were "largely" about addressing "clear and pressing housing needs".

He told the BBC: "The goal is to create a neighbourhood that delivers long-term value for West Oxfordshire, that fosters community strengthening, and sets a new standard for design, sustainability and placemaking across the district."

"Kilkenny Farm is not simply a housing scheme, but a foundation for a sustainable, inclusive and enduring community," he said.

The proposed development is near RAF Brize Norton

But the proposals have proved controversial, with one opposition statement submitted to WODC pleading: "Please leave our countryside alone."

"Infrastructure, services, and the local environment are not in a position to support a development of this magnitude," another said.

One local resident added: "While I understand the need for housing, this development is excessive and unsustainable for the local area."

Another questioned the development's location around a village featured in the Doomsday Book, but Mr Cutler said the site was the "logical and appropriate location for growth".