RESIDENTS are reeling after another chunk of protected land in Abingdon was ringed as a potential site more than 1,000 homes.

Experts suggested land north of the town should be lumped with 1,100 homes, on top of the 1,000 already set out in the district council's Local Plan - a revelation that could cause "one hell of a rumpus".

A document published on Friday favours a 55-hectare land parcel in the Green Belt, running from Peachcroft Roundabout to Lodge Hill and across to Radley College, which would slot above the existing housing site near Tilsley Park.

The paper was produced by the Oxfordshire Growth Board – a county-wide committee consisting of council leaders and planning experts – in a bid to address Oxford's unmet housing need.

But Matthew Barber, leader of Vale of White Horse District Council and a member of the board, insisted that the report was merely a "desktop exercise".

He said: "We are not looking to propose those sites. It hasn’t been consulted on or identified or proposed – it’s just saying theoretically this site could take some housing.

"Politically the site would be hugely challenging."

The council is duty-bound to consider the results of the study before publishing part two of its Local Plan, which will account for Oxford’s unmet housing need.

Housing developer CEG is already hoping to build 900 homes on the existing site, immediately south of the new one.

Councillor Sandy Lovatt, county councillor for Abingdon North and chair of the Vale’s planning committee, said he was "shocked" by the growth paper.

He said: "This site has been suggested by council officers – no politician would have dared dream this up.

"This would cause one hell of a rumpus. It’s the last vestige of space between Abingdon and Radley. People are really going to be up in arms."

He stressed that the site was "by no means decided" and said the council would be "looking for alternative sites."

Radley parish councillor Priscilla Dudding said: "It will transform the rural setting. It will be a huge blow for Radley residents."

Boulter Drive resident David Illingworth, a North Abingdon housing campaigner, said the site would be an "enormous intrusion" on the Green Belt.

The 64-year-old added: "It’s on a hill so will be very prominent and obviously intrusive from a long way away."

Retiree Dr Illingworth, a qualified town planner, said the site would bring an influx of traffic and pollution.

He said: "Once a red line gets drawn around the field it’s very difficult to do anything about it."

The growth paper, published in reaction to the county's strategic housing market assessment in 2014, cut the Vale's overall housing requirement from 3,000 homes to 2,200 homes and assessed dozens of potential sites.

It suggested land at Cumnor and Botley should each get 550 homes, and gave an amber "maybe" rating for 550 homes in Kennington.