It is of course well known that Oxford City Council is eyeing up potential development sites in the green belt. Indeed, the council has made little secret of the fact.

It is however disappointing that Alaric Rose (January 8) appears to regard that as the only threat to Kidlington’s green belt, while refusing to recognise the threat posed by the emerging plans of Cherwell District Council.

That exemplifies precisely the Liberal Democrat complacency of which I complained in my previous letter (January 6).

It is a fact that sites behind The Moors and Webbs Way are included as potential development sites in Cherwell District Council’s strategic housing land availability assessment and that the original suggestion came from developers and/or landowners.

Today’s letters

The sites must have been included in the SHLAA for a reason. Does it perhaps indicate a willingness to remove these sites from the green belt as a concession to the city council?

Certainly, no development application has yet been submitted, but it is not hard to suspect that developers are simply biding their time in the expectation that the sites will be released for development as part of the forthcoming green belt review.

It is hard not to wonder whether the Liberal Democrat silence on The Moors and Webbs Way reflects a willingness on their part to let these sites go in the event that they are forced to concede something to the city council.

Cllr Chris Robins Foxdown Close Kidlington

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