A developer is trying to extend its housing plans near an Oxfordshire town for a third time following previous refusals. 

Manor Oak Homes has applied to build 114 homes on land opposite Hanwell Fields on the edge of Banbury. 

This will be an extension to the 78-home plan permitted in May. 

The developer previously applied for the second phase to be 176 homes, which was withdrawn. They then submitted plans for 117 homes, which was then reduced to 114. 

This was refused by Cherwell District Council's planning committee in August. 

A total of 11 people have submitted objections to the new scheme at the time of writing. 

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Hanwell Fields site plan (Image: Cherwell District Council) Emma Davis, of Buckhurst Close, Banbury, said: “I am writing to object based on our council's admission that this area has met its five-year housing target.

"We have housing and warehousing being built around the circumference of Banbury, and I object to the need for additional housing on this or any other site that may potentially cause the village of Hanwell to be engulfed into a suburb of Banbury.

"Let's keep our beautiful town and surrounding areas rural for all of us to enjoy going forward."

Suzanne Nixon-Eckersall, of Church Lane, Hanwell, added: “This application was rightly refused earlier this year by Cherwell District Council.

"I understand that Manor Oak Homes have resubmitted an amended application that relies mostly on the argument that Cherwell has not met its five-year housing supply. I understand that this is not so and that the council has indeed reached the target. 

“The land on which it is proposed is attractive countryside and yet more and more housing will wipe out this lovely asset. The usual lack of infrastructure provided by smaller developers will be an ever-increasing problem. I object strongly to this application.”

Hollie Ramm, of Warwick Road in Banbury, said: “This new development will put further pressure on an already strained public service throughout Banbury.

"The health of Banbury's residents is already suffering, being in the top most deprived places in Oxfordshire. More houses will destroy the green space, further burden the health services and create more traffic. 

“There are already four new developments up that way. We do not have the infrastructure to support this.

"The roads are already overcrowded. This is only going to make things worse. The area is a harbour for wildlife and destroying this has no positive gains, only negative.”

In the application's planning statement, it said: “The application proposal comprises the construction of a mixture of new homes at the site including a range of smaller dwellings, bungalows and family properties intended to help meet the needs of all sectors of the community.

"Of the maximum 114 dwellings proposed 35 of them (over 30 per cent) will be affordable in tenure.”

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