BANKRUPTCY will kill off a century-old trust if its plan to build houses and a community hub is rejected.

The fate of the Anson Trust in Marcham near Abingdon now lies with district councillors, who will decide whether to approve a last-ditch attempt to salvage its assets.

Neil Rowe, chairman of the trust, said: “If this scheme falls over I wouldn’t hesitate to go to the Charity Commission and declare bankruptcy. There’s no question about it.”

The trust is collaborating with developer Thomas Homes to build “desperately-needed” facilities on its Anson Field in Morland Road.

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Plans submitted to Vale of White Horse District Council include 10 homes, three flats, a community building, a multi-use games area, three sports pitches, a play area and a nursery.

The Anson Field has previously been preserved by councillors who rejected the trust’s other building proposals, including a 51-house estate.

Mr Rowe, 57, said: “I would very strongly say to the district council ‘listen to the local people’.

“We are accepting a large number of houses and doing our best to make people welcome to the village – don’t stand in the way.

“Marcham needs facilities desperately. With the new influx of families it’s going to be absolutely essential.”

He referred to the six major planning applications which have been approved in the village, totalling 250 new houses.

Mr Rowe has been a trustee since 1998, a century after it was set up by the Anson family to dish out grants to the local community and provide public facilities – a responsibility which usually falls to the parish council.

He said: “We closed the village hall 11 years ago because we couldn’t afford to run it.

“We haven’t given out money for years. We spent it all on looking for a scheme to re-order our assets. We are asset-rich but cash-poor.”

The trust plans to plough cash from the sale of homes on the field into the community facilities.

Residents’ consultation on the plans closed on February 3, with 150 largely positive comments logged on the council’s website.

Even those who would have to endure noisy building work in their back gardens seemed to approve.

NP Lawrie, who lives in Dove Cottage neighbouring the field, commented: “My property will be bordered by the five new residences on the Anson Field and I therefore believe that mine is the property most affected by the new proposal.

“I completely support and welcome this proposal in all its main aspects.

“It is the only solution for the provision of appropriate facilities for the village and I believe that the five new houses will enhance my immediate environment.”

Concerns were mainly over privacy, prompting requests that the boundary wall be extended.

Jim Asher, who helped run consultation sessions, urged councillors to back the application. He said: “We haven’t had proper community facilities in Marcham since the Victorian times. We don’t want to just become a dormitory for Oxford and Didcot.”