A preservation group is objecting to plans to extend a sandpit in an Oxfordshire wood.

Tubney Wood Preservation group is objecting to plans made by Hills Minerals and Waste Ltd to extend Tubney Wood Sandpit in Oaksmere, Appleton, by 40 per cent.

Hills has asked Oxfordshire County Council for permission to extend the site and wants to change conditions set by a Government inspector 12 years ago.

Under the current agreement, the company must return the site to forestry when extraction is completed. Now, the company wants to convert the sandpit, owned by Magdalen College, into heathland.

Preservation group chairman Graham Rose said: "This extension, claiming to be a small extension, is potentially a further blight on the local landscape.

"The proposal put forward by Hills was hatched with no consultation with local people. We hope the planning sub-committee members take a rather more democratic approach."

Oxfordshire County Council's planning sub-committee is due to meet today to discuss the proposal.

Officers have recommended that councillors approve the application at the meeting.