DEFIANT residents have united to fight plans to build thousands of homes in south Oxfordshire.

The Government has ordered the district council to build 3,300 new homes across the area between 2011 and 2026 to meet projected housing needs.

Residents’ associations in Thame and the nearby village of Moreton have joined forces to show South Oxfordshire District Council they do want the homes forced on them.

A 250-strong group gathered in Thame town centre to protest against plans to build 850 homes on the outskirts of the town, and presented a petition signed by more than 1,500 people.

Protester Russell Payne, of the Lea Park Residents’ Group, said: “We don’t need and cannot support 850 homes.

“We’re not opposing more homes. We’re just saying that there needs to be proper thought and consideration.”

Mr Payne, 44, said that the location of the homes was yet to be finalised and that the debate was about the number of homes proposed.

He said: “Thame residents accept that more homes need to be built for the future and we would accept some in our town.

“But where and how many needs to be closely investigated, as such a vast amount of new homes as proposed would effectively cripple the town we love so much.

“The infrastructure of Thame could not support such a massive development.”

In March last year, the district council outlined the areas where it thought the extra housing should go.

Didcot has been earmarked to take more than 1,000 homes, and Wallingford and Thame 850 respectively.

District council vice-chairman Michael Welply and Thame North councillor was handed the petition on Sunday.

He said: “I’m not against the houses being built, but the actual locations and quantities I think need to be reviewed. There are 3,000 people waiting for homes in south Oxfordshire. We have a growing population, we have too few homes available and too few areas on which to build.”

Henley MP John Howell said: “The potential for over-development around our market towns is something we should be aware of as it could change the nature of the towns.”

Formal discussion of the housing proposals by the council’s cabinet has been postponed until after the General Election.

Chief executive David Buckle said: “It has become increasingly obvious to me that some of the proposals in the core strategy will become election issues. I cannot stop that but I can avoid fuelling the fires by delaying consideration of the document until after the General Election.”

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