A PROPOSAL to more than double the number of new homes in Chipping Norton have been slammed by its mayor.

Under the revised version of West Oxfordshire District Council's draft Local Plan, there will be 1,400 new homes built at Tank Farm rather than the original 600.

It follows concerns raised by the planning inspector the plan did not include enough new homes to account for housing need.

Chipping Norton mayor Mike Tysoe says the proposed development is "too big" and will cause numerous problems for the town.

"It stinks, it is too big, it is going to be fought," he said. "The town has about 3,000 houses. It is putting a huge development on top of the town.

"It is going to go through the town allotments, which will be fought.

"We know it [the proposed development] includes a primary school, fine, but what are we going to do about the secondary school? The whole thing is a stitch up to try and bulldoze us and we are not going to have it."

The proposal includes plans to build an eastern link road from Banbury Road to Burford Road, which the district council says will help divert traffic - including lorries - away from the town centre.

However, Councillor Tysoe said: "The relief road actually won't relieve the traffic because it is relieving the wrong traffic and not the heavy traffic."

The revised Plan was approved by WODC councillors and is now subject to a six-week public consultation starting tomorrow.

Cllr Tysoe said a meeting will be held for town residents in the coming weeks about the proposals.

A total of 15,950 homes will be built by 2031, including 2,750 which have been earmarked as the district's contribution to Oxford's housing requirements.

North Witney will see a housing increase from 1,000 to 1,400.

Cllr Jeff Haine, cabinet member for planning, said: "The increased development on the Tank Farm site will include an eastern link road. The link road would divert a large proportion of HGV movements away from Chipping Norton town centre, thereby improving air quality there. This is an important benefit that needs to be considered."

Cllr James Mills, Leader of WODC, said: "We want to create better homes, more jobs and improved facilities while protecting the district from unwanted development. This is why it is important to have a robust Local Plan in place."

After the consultation, the plan will be re-submitted to the planning inspector.

WODC expects examination of the plan to begin in Spring 2017.