Families and politicians say Kidlington faces an environmental disaster after a public inquiry approved the building of a bus depot on green belt land.

The new Stagecoach depot, near the Oxford Canal at Langford Locks, Kidlington, will store 135 Buses.

It will replace the depot in Horspath Road, in Oxford.

The planning application went to a public inquiry after Kidlington Parish Council and Cherwell District Council rejected the scheme because of the impact of fumes and inadequate provision for employee car parking. There are 81 spaces for 350 employees.

The councils claimed the depot would create unacceptable noise and light pollution with more than 100 buses expected to come and go from the depot between 11pm and 7am.

They also said it would lead to increased traffic congestion in Kidlington.

Stagecoach managers welcomed the decision, but declined to comment further before studying the planning inspector's report in detail.

The depot's car park will be built on land the councils had reserved for parking for the proposed Kidlington railway station.

Cllr Chris Pack, who sits on both councils, said: "This is a disaster for Kidlington. It will have an absolutely devastating impact on the family life of those living near the depot, but it will also affect everybody living here.

"We believe other sites that would have been much more suitable for this type of development have been ignored."

Motor technician Gary Pearson, 39, of Thorn Close, said: "I don't want it here. It's yet another stretch of green land taken over by buildings.

"There will be a lot more traffic and the building will be on land where people like to walk their dogs and children play football."

Suwanna Langford, 39, a secretary of Chamberlain Place, said: "There is already a lot of noise from the train here, so that will just get worse.

"There are a lot of children in this street as well, so I worry the fumes and extra traffic will be a danger to them."

Stagecoach was given permission on several conditions. Managers are expected to ensure:

Buses use the A44, rather than the main Oxford/Ban- bury Road through the village.

The number of idling vehicles is limited to two, and that other causes of noise are limited with sound barriers and a 4mph speed limit in the yard.

Noise levels should be limited by parked buses acting as a barrier, dust should be kept down by water sprays and cars should park in empty bus bays rather than residential roads when the car park is full.

However, Andrew Hornsby-Smith, who represented the parish council at the inquiry, said the conditions were unlikely to be adhered to.

He said: "The inspector has assumed the depot will run like clockwork. But with a 50 per cent turnover of staff, and with unregulated bus movements in the mornings, the chances of keeping noise within acceptable levels are practically zero."

Opponents of the depot plan to hold a public meeting to discuss ways of blocking the scheme -- including an appeal under the Human Rights Act.