The spectre of a new town on the edge of Thame first put forward and rejected 20 years ago has raised its head again.

Land to the south of Thame between Moreton and Great Haseley has been put forward again by potential developers as a major new housing area. But members of the Campaign to Protect Rural England are already making protests against the plan. And they are urging members of the public to get behind them and scotch the proposals.

The first plans for the new town, to be called Stone Bassett, were rejected out of hand by Thame Town, South Oxfordshire District and Oxfordshire County councils because it would have been on land of great landscape value and detract from the whole area.

It has arisen again in a document published by the district which asked people to put forward possible development sites for housing.

On the Stone Bassett proposals, Michael Tyce of CPRE, said: "We want people to know these proposals exist and we want them to go to the district council website and fill in the questionnaire and make their points about land they want to see developed and which they want preserved.

"We would hate to see something like Stone Bassett go through by default because not enough people commented on it. Our view is that there should be no new building in open countryside and certainly not a new settlement which would be a blot on some of the least spoiled countryside in Oxfordshire - and just be a settlement for commuters. We have responded formally to the district council."

He said development policy should be to expand existing towns and villages while being careful not to destroy their character.

Other possible sites suggested for Thame include part of the Thame Show ground and the former Thame United Football Club ground.

The list of sites does not include Didcot which has its own development plan.Other sites have been put forward in Thame, Wallingford and Watlington, and in several villages including Chinnor, Chalgrove, Garsington, Sandford, Crowmarsh, Cholsey, Benson and Wheatley. People have until November 17 to have their say on the proposals, following public exhibitions.