A HOUSING developer hopes to use a legal loophole to get permission to build hundreds of new homes in a village.

Cala Homes has applied for outline planning permission to build up to 200 homes, a village hall/shop and public open space on about seven hectares of fields, stable block and house at South Lodge, Fringford Road, in Caversfield, near Bicester.

The firm says because Cherwell District Council’s local plan is out of date and it does not have a five-year supply of housing, its proposal should be approved.

But the council says its current local plan, dating back to 1997, is still valid, its new plan mapping future development is underway, and it now has a six-year housing supply.

Residents in Caversfield oppose the development.

Gaynor Thorpe, of Old School Close, said: “There are only 604 houses according to the latest census and this would increase them by a third.

“Fringford Road is not suitable for the extra traffic inevitably generated by 200 homes.”

Bicester Campaign to Protect Rural England and Caversfield Parish Council also oppose the plans.

A Cherwell spokesman said: “The arguments put forward by the developer are wholly unexceptional and will be contested by Cherwell as we believe we stand a strong chance of being successful.”

The council said a final decision would be made by the planning committee.

A statement from Cala Homes said the new homes were “much needed”.

It said: “A full programme of community consultation was carried out prior to the submission of the planning application and we responded to feedback received with a number of changes to our original plans.”