PROTESTERS are planning a wave of action in a bid to stop an eco-town being built.

Fifty people attended a public meeting to discuss the campaign against a 5,000-home eco-settlement on farmland northwest of Bicester.

Ideas for action included demands for a town poll, the launch of a petition, and theleafleting of every home in Bicester.

Campaigner Tony Ives, a former town planner for the Vale of White Horse District Council, said the meeting had been a great success.

He said: “Everyone agreed to meet again to discuss actual action. Someone came up with a brilliant idea of asking for a town poll.

“There were also a lot of volunteers for leaflet dropping and street action in Sheep Street.Most people in Bicester still don’t know where the eco-town will be, how big it will be and the impact on the ground, so something to address that would be necessary.”

Andrew Fulljames, district councillor for Chesterton, said the new eco-town would increase the population of Bicester by 60 per cent.

He said: “Many people still don’t know about it or where it’s going to be. But there was no question that the meeting was pretty hostile to the idea.

“The majority of people were totally horrified by the whole thing and wanted to know how they could stop it.”

Chairman of Caversfield Parish Council Odette Phipps said she was concerned people were being complacent, after a survey found 83 per cent of 800 people asked did not know the location of the proposed eco-town.

Cherwell District Council has promised public consultation over the plans, but a date has yet to be set.

Michael Gibbard, executive member for planning and housing, said: “We have to spend time working on the next steps, drawing up a consultation programme, giving the people of Bicester the opportunity to have their say.”

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