PEOPLE living in West Oxfordshire are being asked where more than 7,000 new homes should be built.

West Oxfordshire District Council has published draft documents setting out where the developments could go. The majority, 3,000, are planned for Witney, while a minimum of 1,500 homes could go in Carterton, and 1,000 in Chipping Norton. The remainder will go in surrounding villages.

The Government has said 7,300 homes must be built in the district by 2026.

District councillor Warwick Robinson, cabinet member for planning, said: “Over the last two years, there has been consultation on the key challenges we face and the options for the future development strategy. We have taken these comments into account in drawing up our preferred approach alongside meeting Government and regional plan requirements. Before finalising our plan, we want to know whether there are any difficulties with our approach, and whether any key issues or challenges are inadequately addressed.

“We are particularly seeking comments about further major growth at Witney, Carterton, and Chipping Norton.”

In the plan, the district council has earmarked land to the west of Witney, an area off Swinbrook Road, in Carterton, along with land to the east of Chipping Norton.

The majority of houses will be on greenfield sites.

Jo Mannings, 47, of Alvescot Road, Carterton, said: “I am not sure how many more people Witney can take, as the roads are gridlocked anyway.”

Colin Powell, 64, from Cogges, added: “It would be a shame to lose any more green land in Witney, so much has gone over the years.”

Last week, developers Gleeson Strategic Land and Taylor Wimpey announced plans for 1,400 new homes in North Witney, along with a West End Link Road.

This has been welcomed by some people, but there are concerns that flood-prone land would not be able to cope with more houses.

The developers said they would create a drainage system which would control any surface water generated by the site.

Crawley Parish Council chairman, Colin Dingwall, said: “The flood alleviation measures will hold the run-off water that often causes so much devastation in Hailey Road and keep the route into Witney open during inclement weather, and, of course, improve safety which is a major factor.”

But David Condon, of Witney CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) and Witney First, said: “We are extremely concerned about the risk to flooding, and I think this has to be looked at.

“When you build an estate, instead of water being sucked into the ground and gradually entering the water table and flowing into a river, the water runs quickly from the built-up area, and gets quickly moved into the drainage system and moved straight into the river. It’s almost instant.”

The council’s public consultation runs until the middle of next month.