Changes to housing 'confused'

Government changes made to housing plans in the Oxfordshire area have been met with opposition from councillors there.

Leader of Oxfordshire county council Keith Mitchell stated that the proposals are somewhat confusing because of what government officials have claimed in the past.

He cited the government, which he said suggested the South East Plan would not be developed on green belt but this would not appear to be the case.

"All of the detail in this debate is rendered somewhat academic by the fact that house-building in this country has ground to a halt. There is a disconnection between these plans and the realities of the current housing market," he argued.

When the project - called Grenoble Road - is finished, it is likely that there will be 4,000 new properties on the green belt situated to the south of Oxford and within the council boundary.

Original plans were drawn up by communities and councils in the south-east, with the South East England Regional Assembly having stated that project will boost the local economy.