CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 300 homes near Blenheim Palace are likely to be approved next week as the estate surges forward with its sprawling vision for Woodstock.

The application to build the homes on land to the east of Oxford Road was submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council by Blenheim Estates and Pye Homes but it has received more than 700 letters of objection from residents.

The development will form part of Blenheim's ambitious plans to build 1,600 homes around the town on sites currently under consideration for West Oxfordshire and Cherwell District Council's Local Plans – which outline areas for sustainable development in their respective districts.

Blenheim Estates says it has a vested interest in ensuring any of its developments are of the highest quality and West Oxfordshire planning officers have recommended it should be approved.

However, objectors have warned the town simply cannot cope with such a vast increase in population.

District councillor for Woodstock Julian Cooper said: "How does the town cope with that demand on infrastructure, schools, car parking and doctor's surgeries.

"300 homes would be a big attachment to the town and increase the number of properties by about 20/25 per cent.

"There was a town councillor many years ago who said Woodstock is a bit like a seaside town with no seaside, meaning you can't push out into the historic park of Blenheim just as you couldn't push out into the sea."

Mr Cooper said traffic and parking in the town were already a concern and that development of such a large scale would exacerbate the problem.

Town councillor Sharone Parnes looked at Blenheim's plans for the future, which involve utilising sites likely to be allocated in Cherwell and West Oxfordshire's Local Plans to develop a total of 1,600 homes around Woodstock.

Mr Parnes said: "Woodstock’s residents are intelligent and understand the inevitability of natural growth. They also know a good thing when they see it. But Blenheim’s commercial development ambitions entail redefinition of Woodstock’s surroundings, and as such are contrived, impractical and far over the top.

"Green fields around Woodstock should not be treated as blank canvasses."

Last week, Blenheim Estates property director Roger File said they could deliver something the town was proud of and provide a valuable contribution to infrastructure.

The Uplands planning committee will make a decision at a meeting in the council’s Woodgreen offices next Monday at 2pm.