THEY currently live in a sleepy village surrounded by picturesque fields. It has little more than a pub for entertainment - and that is the way the residents of Chesterton like it.

But their peace could soon be ruined if planners have their way. Chesterton could soon be swallowed up by Bicester.

A total of 3,472 homes have to be built in the Bicester area between now and 2011 under Government rules.

Planners are considering RAF Bicester, Caversfield and land along the Middleton Stoney Road between Bicester and Chesterton for 1,400 of those houses.

The people who live in Chesterton chose the picturesque spot because it is a village and not a suburb of a larger town. Sixties icon, Twiggy, lived there in the 1980s because of its quiet location - away from it all.

Many would like it to stay that way. Debbie Darbyshire, 42, of Green Lane, said: "The big issue here is that people moved here because it is a village. We want to be away from the town. People are not going to want to move into the area to have a quiet life, it is going to be awful.

Gp Capt Francis Rice, 80, of Alchester Road, said: "I am afraid I am a bit of a nimby man. I do not see the need for the accommodation and I certainly don't want it here.

"The infuriating thing I find with all these developments is that everybody except the residents get to make money. The local authorities want it because they get to collect more Council Tax. Farmers are very happy to sell their land."

Will Vetcher, 36, of Chesterton Manor, has lived in the village for seven years. He said: "I don't like the idea of being part of Bicester. The road between here and the A34 is hard-going enough as it is, without more cars using it.

"It will bring jobs but there is not a problem with unemployment here. It just seems a loss as far as humanity is concerned."

Story date: Thursday 17 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.