A PLANNING inquiry for 60 new homes in Chipping Norton is set to take place later in the year.

Sharba Homes Ltd is hoping to build a mix of private and affordable houses on land at West End Farm, off Churchill Road, which include new vehicular access, open space, and other associated works.

The developer is appealing the decision made by West Oxfordshire District Council's Uplands Planning Committee which threw out the plans at its December meeting.

Members were concerned the development would cause substantial harm to the setting of the Bliss Mill and that it would constitute major development and visually extend built form into the open countryside.

The appeal date is still being confirmed but it likely to be held in the council's offices in Wood Greetn Witney, in the middle of October and is could take between four and six days.

Members of Chipping Norton Town Council, who was strongly opposed to the plans, decided they would lodge their objections to the secretary of state at a recent meeting.

And they even discussed employing a planning consultant to strengthen their case.

Councillor Alex Corfield said: "It would be an expense but if we did care about it it would be worth doing."

Councillor Jo Graves added: "If we feel it's something worth flagging up it could be worth getting and organisation like Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)."