A High Court injunction has been taken out against a district council to stop it approving plans for a controversial golf course outside Oxford.

Oxfordshire County Council has taken the unusual step against the Vale of White Horse District Council after growing concerns about the Hinksey Heights Golf Club, off the A34, at South Hinksey.

The county council fears the unique panoramic view of Oxford is being ruined because too much earth and rubble is being used to create the golf course.

It took out the injunction before the Vale's planners were due to discuss the matter last night.

The owners of the golf course, Vale district councillor Anthony Gresswell and John and Judy Brimble, won outline planning permission for an 18-hole golf course from the Vale in 1989 and construction has been underway for two years. Mr Gresswell is a Vale of White Horse district councillor for Hinksey Ward.

The Oxford Mail revealed last month how the county council claims it entered into a legal agreement with the owners to limit dumping to 190,000 cubic metres last year after they began using waste earth to create greens and plateaux. It estimates about 300,000 cu m of waste has now been dumped on the site and latest plans suggest 550,000 cu m will be dumped before the course is completed.

John Duncalfe, minerals officer for the county, said: "The sort of features they are putting up there are alien. They are not what we would expect in the green belt.

"Things are getting a little near to the mark. We had a legal agreement with them and they have ignored it."

But Mr Gresswell denied ever signing such an agreement. He said: "The plans have changed as the golf course has developed to some extent, and we have produced up to date plans to the Vale whenever they have asked.

He added: "People should come up here and see the course. It is a matter of opinion whether something is alien or not."

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