HOUSEHOLDERS have been warned they will no longer be informed of development plans near their homes after the scrapping of letter notifications.

Conservative-run Cherwell District Council will no longer write to residents to tell them about new planning applications near to where they live, in a bid to save £80,000 a year.

In addition, all applications will no longer be published in newspapers.

From March 1, homeowners will instead be expected to find out about applications through notices placed at the site – for example on lamp posts.

Most other county authorities send out letters.

Les Sibley, Labour group leader on the authority, said: “If notices are stuck on fences, people don’t automatically go up and read them.

“I think we need to let people know directly. You can’t leave it to chance.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Nick Cotter said: “The reality is that people lead busy lives, and they are not always peering around the nearest lamppost to see what may or may not be up there.”

Jon O’Neill, who led the Ardley Against the Incinerator campaign group over Oxfordshire County Council’s successful plans for a burner in the village, also hit out.

He said: “I understand the council is looking at saving money, but this is a shame because they were previously very good at informing the local community.”

The council sends out 10,000-20,000 letters a year, with up to 500 letters per application, depending on the scale of development.

It did not consult on the changes, which were passed by the executive.

Instead of advertising all applications in newspapers, the authority will instead advertise only those it is legally required to, such as for major schemes or plans involving listed buildings.

Applications will continue to be advertised in the Oxford Mail’s sister paper The Bicester Advertiser.

The council said all applications would be available to view online at cherweb.cherwell-dc.gov.uk.

Michael Gibbard, executive member for housing and planning, said: “In the current stringent economic circumstances it’s right that the council should look at ways of cutting back expenditure.”

Oxfordshire’s other district councils continue to deliver letters to properties affected by developments, with no plans to stop the letters.

Oxfordshire County Council was not available to comment on whether it still sends out letters to all affected properties.