AN INTERNATIONAL not-for-profit which helps Third World farmers with scientific solutions is forging ahead with controversial plans to build 91 homes on its site just outside Wallingford.

CABI, which aims to 'improve people's lives worldwide by applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment', has now submitted an archaeology brief for the development to South Oxfordshire District Council.

The organisation was originally refused planning permission for the housing in 2016 when the council said it would be an overdevelopment in open countryside in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

However, CABI appealed against that decision and won in August.

Now it is forging ahead with its plan.

The group, which has 480 staff working in more than 20 locations around the world, is based in buildings which were formerly part of the Carmel College - Europe's only Jewish boarding school - on Nosworthy Way.

Under the current plan, CABI will sell off the old playing fields around the site to a developer to build 91 new homes, and use the profits to demolish its own buildings and build a bespoke new modern headquarters.

Members of public can see the latest archaeological plans submitted to the council at southoxon.gov.uk using reference number P18/S0566/DIS.

Oxfordshire's county archaeology service has already said more mitigation work will be needed.