GREEN Belt campaigners believe they have killed off plans for 4,000 homes on land south of Grenoble Road, Oxford, as the Government has proposed removing the controversial development from its South East Plan.

Two months ago, the Oxfordshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England secured a High Court victory against the Government when it admitted the plan was flawed.

Now any references to the strategic development area south of Oxford are set to be removed from the document, which dictates what will be built in the region until 2026.

However, Oxford city council planners believe plans for the much-needed homes will still proceed as they are confident a fresh six-month government review of available land in central Oxfordshire will pinpoint the Grenoble Road development as the best site.

Alan Jones, chairman of CPRE Oxfordshire, said: “This is a resounding victory for CPRE and Green Belt campaigners.

“The Government has conceded all the points that we challenged.

“With the urban extension south of Oxford now deleted, in responding to the draft order we will want to ensure that these are not just redistributed to South Oxfordshire - and that the city addresses its future housing needs within its own boundaries.”

The city council's head of development, Michael Crofton-Briggs, said: “This is not new as the Government has already admitted it got the process wrong.

“This is another step but we are confident when the Government re-runs the process it will still come to the same conclusion even when it reviews it the land in a more thorough way.

“The best option is to select the land south of Grenoble Road.”