RESIDENTS have been urged to join a public meeting on Monday night about controversial plans for 750 new homes in Oxford.

Christ Church college has convened the meeting to explain its development plans for land next to Barton Park on the northern bypass.

Locals have warned that the current proposal may just be the first stage in a bigger development first proposed for the green belt site years ago, and called on others to attend Monday's meeting.

Eugenie Buchan, who lives in Elsfield just north of the site and sits on the parish meeting there, explained that plans had been proposed for a 1,500-home estate there in 2016.

She warned: "If this smaller site received planning permission it could simply open the flood gates.

"In planning, it is not good in principle to open up a site that is surrounded by green belt.

"It is not unreasonable to think this is a real challenge to break up the green belt and pave the way for more development."

Christ Church's proposed development is situated immediately to the west of the 885-home Barton Park estate currently being built.

The new estate would also have shops and offices and a park or parks, but no plans for a school have been indicated at present.

Elsfield Parish Council, in its official objection to the new proposal, has warned the 750-home estate could pave the way for up to 7,500 homes in that area.

It told South Oxfordshire District Council that it must consider the potential impacts of the full theoretical development on local roads and the environment.

The parish meeting warned planners that even the 750-home estate would make that portion of the green belt 'indefensible'.

Old Marston Parish Council has also submitted a list of concerns to the district council, mainly about traffic.

Chairman Duncan Hatfield, pictured left, said he expected strong feelings and strong words at the meeting.

He said: "They're not going to get an easy ride of it.

"People do understand there has to be more housing in the area, but this is essentially all green belt.

"I think the biggest complaint will be traffic."

Christ Church, which owns the land, would not comment on speculation about future developments but said it hoped the development it was proposing would help Oxford.

College treasurer James Lawrie, who lives in Marston and will represent the college at Monday's meeting, said: "Christ Church is bringing these proposals forward because it believes that development of sustainable urban extensions close to Oxford will help address the very serious problems of available and affordable housing, particularly for young people.

"Christ Church has initiated this meeting because it believes it is important for local people to have an opportunity to learn about the proposals firsthand and to be able to express their views at a relatively early stage."

Mr Lawrie will be joined at the meeting by representatives from the college's development partners, Dorchester Residential Management and Pegasus Group, and members of Old Marston Parish Council.

The meeting will be held at Mortimer Hall, Old Marston, from 7pm.