CAMPAIGNERS have expressed dismay at Vale of White Horse District Council plans to ‘inappropriately’ build 1,000 houses on one of the area’s ‘most precious landscapes’.

The council disputes a suggestion that it has merely relaunched proposals for a large-scale development near Didcot which was rejected by a planning inspector two years ago.

Ahead of a public hearing, pressure groups have expressed ‘alarm’ that the council hopes to build on an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Proposals for the houses at Harwell Campus will be discussed on Tuesday in Wantage, as part of the Vale’s Local Plan Part 2.

CPRE Oxfordshire director Helen Marshall said: “Major development within AONBs is only permitted in exceptional circumstances. The district council argued their case to a planning inspector, but he recommended that the site be removed from the plan.”

The inspector previously felt there was no evidence to indicate employers could not attract staff without housing.

Dr Marshall continued: “Now, just two years on, they are back trying again. The number of houses has been reduced from 1,400 to 1,000, but the principles remain the same. This would be inappropriate development in one of our most precious landscapes.”

The science campus’ plans, including a school, community centre, allotments and sport facilities, were revealed in May, when developers said the ‘affordable’ homes would primarily be for some of the 20,000 employees on site.

Disputing the idea that the plan was a rehash from two years ago, a spokeswoman for the district council said: “We’re proposing to change land, which is mostly previously developed, that has already been allocated for employment development, into land for housing. This is a completely different site to the one allocated for housing in the plan two years ago.

“Changing the allocation of this site will support the Harwell campus in attracting the very best businesses and jobs to our area.”

Campus director Angus Horner added: “We used to have hundreds of homes on campus and want to make this provision again.

“So many young people struggle to afford house prices in Oxfordshire, so we want to deliver wonderful homes that will be affordable for people working at Harwell.”

But North Wessex Downs AONB’s Rebecca Davies said: “We do not believe the reasons put forward are exceptional nor justified with evidence.

“An allocation of 1,000 homes on one site in the AONB would set an alarming president, threatening the special qualities of this protected landscape.”

East Hendred Parish Council, which is expected to oppose the plans, was not immediately available for comment, while Chilton Parish Council said it supported CPRE’s views.