BUILDING over a golf course to make way for new homes should be rethought in light of the coronavirus pandemic, a campaign group has said.

The GreenWay group wants to stop building at North Oxford Golf Club, which is designated for up to 1,200 homes in Cherwell District Council's Local Plan.

A spokesman for GreenWay, which is made up of some golfers who use the club, said it would be unlikely that councils could return to 'business as usual' following the pandemic, and called on Cherwell District Council to reconsider.

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They group has also uploaded a video promoting its cause to YouTube, featuring sweeping drone footage of the golf course as part of the group’s attempt to change the plan.

However one Cherwell councillor has said the latest updates to the Local Plan, last discussed by the council in February, have been well received by a government planning inspector.

A GreenWay spokesman said: “Our message to Cherwell district councillors, who are pressing for the development to happen on our course, will know that the partial review plans to permit development on the Oxford Green Belt has caused considerable controversy.”

They added: “There appears to be emerging consensus across the political spectrum that ‘business as usual’ will not be possible.”

The group has sent a letter to local councillors and MPs to voice its concerns.

Oxford Mail:

A still from the video

In a YouTube video featuring a drone flying over the North Oxford Golf Course, the GreenWay group said golf helped to promote a healthy lifestyle for players, and that the 3,000 trees on the site helped to sequester carbon.

In the video, GreenWay added there would be more need for outdoor recreational areas as Oxford’s population grew.

Though land has been set aside for a new golf course at Frieze Farm near the A44, the group said it could take years to establish it.

In February, some of the golfers spoke at a council meeting appealing for the authority to reconsider, but they were told this would not be possible.

Colin Clarke, Cherwell District Council's lead member for planning, said the changes to the Local Plan, known as a partial review, had largely been accepted by a government-appointed planning inspector.

This included plans to build on the golf course.

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Mr Clarke said: “We understand that the inspector is looking at it quite positively. It looks like he is relatively happy with our proposals.”

The only major change advised by the inspector was to not build 410 homes at a site near Woodstock.

In February, the council agreed to split this number of homes and add them to other sites.

The review was started in 2018, with the aim of building 4,400 homes in Cherwell to meet the needs of Oxford’s growing population.