HISTORIC villages will be 'exploited' if new proposals for thousands of homes on the Green Belt between Oxford and Kidlington go ahead, residents say.

People living in Begbroke, Kidlington and Yarnton said it would lead to open countryside being built over and urban sprawl north of the city.

Giles Lewis, of Spring Hill Road in Begbroke, claimed development should instead focus on 'the many acres' of brown field land in Oxford.

It came as Cherwell District Council informally extended a public consultation on the housing proposals, telling residents it would accept responses until January 13.

The consultation officially closed on Monday but the authority has faced accusations of failing to reach out to people who could be affected.

Book publisher Mr Lewis, 68, said: "The consultation only started on November 16 and took place over a short period during the Christmas holidays, but there also seems to be general agreement that it has not been adequately advertised.

"People in this area understand there is a need for housing but this is not genuine 'unmet need' – it is likely to be high-value housing and will just attract people who want to commute to London via the new Oxford Parkway Station."

The proposals for some 4,400 homes around Kidlington, including between the village and Oxford, are part of changes Cherwell District Council could make to its Local Plan, a document outlining future development in the area.

Of these, 2,200 would be on land north of Oxford, between Cutteslowe and the A34, with 550 more on land between Bicester Road, Kidlington, and the A34.

A further 1,650 wold be on land north of Begbroke and west of Kidlington.

The district council has proposed the housing after agreeing to help Oxford with its chronic housing shortage. The city says it cannot fully meet demand for accommodation within its own boundaries.

But Cherwell has faced accusations that it has not properly consulted people in nearby areas, with people living in Wolvercote and Cutteslowe saying they had received no correspondence from the council despite living directly next to areas where the housing is proposed.

A council spokesman this week insisted publicity for the consultation had 'exceeded statutory requirements', adding: "Cherwell’s planning policy team is sensitive to the fact that work to help Oxford with its unmet housing need has potential implications for local communities outside Cherwell district.

"For this reason Cherwell officers have engaged closely with city council colleagues."

The spokesman said its efforts to publicise the consultation included adverts on the council's website, direct mail to 3,000 people, documents being mad available at 15 locations, including three in Oxford, newspaper notices in the Oxford Mail, Bicester Advertiser and Banbury Guardian, a letter to district councillors, social media posts, a press release and 'summary booklets'.

Jean Fooks, the city councillor for Summertown, said the authority should have contacted local people directly.