Council planners were yesterday accused of trying to 'trip up' developers wanting to build housing on the former US airforce base at Upper Heyford, as a public inquiry into the future of the site started.

A Government planning inspector will have to adjudicate between different ideas for the development of the site at the end of the anticipated four-week inquiry at Cherwell District Council's HQ, Bodicote House, in Banbury.

Property develpment company the North Oxfordshire Consortium wants to build 1,075 homes, a primary school and a number of retail and business units at the site.

English Heritage said the whole landscape should be kept intact as it was of historical value, but the district council wants to keep just a few of the 400 buildings on the site.

NOC's barrister Martin Kingston said: "The appellants have made it plain that they want to produce a high quality development that respects the policy requirements and its location.

"The council's response appears to be to want to trip them up at every point and not to constructively engage to look at substance of what is being aimed for."

Council representative Graeme Keen said Cherwell sought to strike a balance between environmental improvements, conservation, housing, employment and community facilities.