Chalgrove Airfield homes plan temporarily withdrawn

Chalgrove airfield has been earmarked for thousands of new homes

Plans for 3,000 homes to be built on a former airfield have been withdrawn while an amended application is made.

Homes England, which owns Chalgrove Airfield, said its renewed plans would "take account" of comments by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The government agency leases part of the Oxfordshire site to ejector seat manufacturer Martin-Baker.

The CAA said the site at could not accommodate both a housing development and a testing site for ejection seats.

Homes England said changing its plans reflected its "commitment to safeguarding Martin-Baker's operations".

The original plan was unpopular with some residents and those against the development said the withdrawal of the proposals was a battle won, but "by no means the end of the road".

Homes England owns Chalgrove Airfield but leases part of it to ejector seat manufacturer Martin-Baker

The now scrapped plans included a town centre, two primary schools, a secondary school and a sixth form college. A bypass for access to nearby villages was also planned.

Homes England said developing the site, which is in South Oxfordshire's Local Plan, would "urgently meet the considerable housing shortfall" and added its plans to "deliver significant investment for the area" remained unchanged.

The agency, which paid almost £6m for the land, said it intended to submit an amended application.

Campaigners currently challenging South Oxfordshire's Local Plan, blueprint of development up until 2035, are taking their fight to the Court of Appeal.