AN eco-town summit will be held next month where three Government departments will spell out how the 5,000-home development will affect Bicester.

Jonathan Shaw, Minister for the South-East, along with representatives from the Department of Transport, Ministry of Defence and Department of Health will unveil future plans for the town.

Organised by Cherwell District Council and Bicester Vision, the event on December 9, at Bicester Country Club, Chesterton, will be split into two sections.

The first, from 10am to12.20pm, is for invited guests only.

Public sessions will then be held at Bicester Country Club, Chesterton, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, and Bicester Community College, from 6pm to 8pm.

There will also be an update from the council and Sainsbury’s about the town centre redevelopment. P3Eco, which was set up to fund the eco-town at north-west Bicester, will talk about the project.

Council leader Barry Wood said: “The summit will bring the Government organisations which can help realise this future for Bicester, to discuss their vision.”

Mr Shaw said: “Eco-towns respond to the demand to build more homes and to live in a more sustainable way.”

Tony Ives, acting chairman of BASE, Bicester and villages Against Sham Eco-town, set up to fight the eco-town development, said members would lobby the meetings.

He accused the council of pushing the development through with little public consultation.

He said of the meeting: “I think it’s part of the steam-rollering process.”