A David and Goliath battle is being waged over plans to build 1,750 homes between Bicester and Chesterton.

Two Chesterton residents have complained to the local government Ombudsman about what they claim is the "underhand" way Cherwell District Council has handled the consultation process to decide where to put the homes.

They claim documents published by the district council - which explained the issues to the public - were biased.

Council officers are presently drawing up plans to build 1,750 new homes in the Bicester area. Councillors decided in February that the two preferred sites would be RAF Bicester and land between Bicester and Chesterton.

Initially Chesterton Parish Council made the complaint - only to be told a public body could not complain but individuals could. This prompted the chairman of the parish council, Lt-Col David Chapman, and another parish councillor, Bryan Godliman, to lodge personal complaints.

Col Chapman, of Chestnut Close, Chesterton, said: "They said that Chesterton was nearer Bicester North train station, when it is no nearer than the other options."

Mr Godliman, of Little Chesterton, said: "They have come up with a proposal which will ring the death knell to Chesterton as a village."

District council leader George Reynolds said: "We have got ten or 11 new Conservative members and we will be looking at the issue again."