Plans to double the size of historic Binsey village, near Oxford, may fail following objections from the Environment Agency.

Christ Church - one of Oxford University's richest colleges and owners of most of the properties in Binsey - has submitted a planning application to the city council to demolish a barn at Manor Farm. The plans also include a proposal to build three two-bedroomed and four three-bedroomed homes.

Some of Binsey's 28 residents, have claimed the developers' plans would damage the character of the village.

At today's city council's planning committee, officers are expected to recommend that councillors refuse the application. The plans will be discussed at the followingthe committee meeting on October 10.

Planning officer Andy Lewis said: "The reasons for refusal will include the fact that the development is in the Green Belt and the flood plain, and it is considered over-development.

"The developers would need to significantly scale down their plans before re-submitting them."

Mr Lewis said Binsey's fame had resulted in many objections.

One of the most significant letters of objection has come from the Environment Agency, which is against further development in the flood plain.

Alison Cobb, a member of the Binsey Village Residents' Association, said she was delighted the application had attracted such a large number of letters of objection.

She said: "We are relieved that it appears officers will recommend to councillors that this application should be refused, but we are not taking anything for granted.

Binsey contains a famous spring, thought to be the inspiration for the treacle well - mentioned by the Dormouse in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. The author of the Alice books, the Rev Charles Dodgson, was a Fellow of Christ Church.

Smith-Woolley, a firm of Woodstock-based chartered surveyors, is handling the planning application for Christ Church. No-one was available for comment.