It is no surprise to see Oxford City Council attempting to get its boundaries changed to include the expanse of land off Grenoble Road earmarked for major new housing development.

Its intentions are to speed up a development that it believes is vital for the city — one that it says will provide much-needed housing.

Whatever one thinks of that, and of the development in the Green Belt itself, is almost irrelevant. The Grenoble Road scheme has won the support of an independent planning inspector and has been endorsed by Ministers. It is hard to see what is going to change that. Even a change of Government is most unlikely to send this process into reverse.

If this development does go ahead, then it is common sense for Oxford City Council to expand its boundaries to include this land.

The arguments for it have been based on Oxford's housing need. It will be an extension to Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys. Its residents will look largely to Oxford for their services.

For South Oxfordshire, fighting the boundary changes is clearly a way of delaying a development it does not want. It could also prove to be something of a poisoned chalice.

One wonders what knots SODC will tie itself into if it remains the planning authority for the site when the inevitable planning application comes. It will find it hard — and potentially expensive for the council taxpayer — to refuse a scheme endorsed in the South East Plan.