A NINE year-old girl has pleaded with council bosses not to destroy "the special, peaceful" village she loves.

Kaiya Hawkins says South Oxfordshire District Council's plan to build 3,500 homes in Chalgrove would destroy the village's rural way of life.

Her letter emerged as the local authority ends a consultation on the proposal today.

Kaiya, who lives in the village, wrote: "When people think, they normally think of what they want – and I believe you are doing that.

"You are pretending to give people a choice, but not saying it loud for people to hear.

"Most people I know dislike your ideas for now, so come out and listen to what we want."

The Chalgrove Primary School pupil said she liked to watch "the hare jump and the deer pounce," but added: "their habitats would be destroyed with what you want."

She added: "Look deep, deep down in your heart and see you will be demolishing a special, peaceful area that is my home.

"I cannot imagine how much noise and destruction there will be.

"After the new houses have been built, the quiet village I love, will have been destroyed.

"I like visiting towns and cities but I want to live in a peaceful village.

"I hope something changes your mind".

The district council is asking for the public's views on plans for the new homes, which would be built on the former RAF base Chalgrove Airfield.

It would be built between 2018 and 2036 and has been proposed as the "preferred option" for a development to help meet demand for accommodation in Oxford.

Kaiya's mum, Kerry Hawkins, said her daughter had decided to write to the council after seeing her signing an online petition against the plan.

The mum-of-five added: "We often walk up that way and Kaiya was quite shocked when she realised the scale of what this would be.

"Chalgrove is a really peaceful and beautiful village. It's very traditional, and a lot of people like us came here to be part of that way of life."

The consultation closes today at 4.30pm. For information and to comment visit southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/planning-and-building/planning-policy/local-plan-2032