PLANS for where to build 4,400 homes north of Oxford to meet the city's 'unmet housing need' will be discussed next week.

Cherwell District Council has been carrying out a review of its Local Plan since 2016.

The plan a document which sets out where new homes and other kinds of buildings can be built in its area.

But a Government-appointed inspector said land near Woodstock which was set to become more than 400 homes should not be developed.

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On Monday, September 7, the Cherwell District councillors are being asked to endorse plans for where these homes will be spread out among other sites instead.

Two meetings will take place on Monday night where the Local Plan review will be discussed: first the council's executive, its most senior councillors, will be asked to endorse the review, followed by all councillors.

In a report on the changes which need to be made to the Local Plan so it can go ahead, planning inspector Paul Griffiths said that the site south east of Woodstock was too remote from Oxford to be counted towards housing to help the city meet its need.

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A map from 2017 showing the southern area of Cherwell, including Green Belt and areas marked for development in the Local Plan, including south of Woodstock.

His report said: "Lying outside the Oxford Green Belt, this site lies well beyond Begbroke and Yarnton. It would be identified more as a part of Woodstock than Oxford."

The inspectors said the 410 homes which were going to be built there should instead be split up between other sites, if the council wants to make sure its Plan is adopted.

His report suggested several areas set for development which could incorporate the extra homes, including the North Oxford Golf Course and land south of Kidlington.

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Some of these sites are currently Green Belt land, classed as untouched countryside which has never been built on, and extra land would need to be taken out of Green Belt status to accommodate the homes.

Out of the 4,400 homes in Cherwell's plan designed to meet Oxford's needs, 2,200 would be classed as affordable homes.

There have been concerns from some community groups and councillors in the Cherwell district before about the number of new homes planned.

A coalition of residents have formed the Cherwell Development Watch Alliance to call for fewer homes to be built.