WILDLIFE lovers and dog walkers have warned there are just weeks left to object to a plan to build holiday homes in a wildlife haven.

Residents of Cothill, near Abingdon, say the plan to build 14 Finnish-style log cabins on land south of Cothill Pit nature reserve will spoil the green spot.

Oxford Land Investments says it wants to give people who are not lucky enough to live in Oxfordshire’s Green Belt a chance to visit it.

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Retired lawyer Judith Haworth, who regularly walks in the green fields and woods, is leading a campaign against the development.

She said: “The area’s recreational value to many local people is emphasised by the hundreds of dog-walkers who come regularly from towns and villages throughout the Vale of White Horse to exercise their dogs on the site and the nature reserves close by.

“Most are attracted to the area by its unmanaged and informal aspect, where dogs can exercise at will.

“We would urge all who enjoy this green open space and its attractive surroundings to raise objections.”

Vale of White Horse District Council has said the deadline for the public to comment is early next month.

Quarrying at the Cothill sand pit stopped some 40 years ago.

Left largely unfilled by the quarry owners, the site has been reclaimed by nature and is a wildlife haven.

Like the nearby Radley Lakes, say villagers, it is now one of the best sites for butterflies in the Vale.

Oxford Land Investments applied to the Vale for planning permission to build the three and four-bedroom log cabins on November 18.

The firm’s planning consultant, Michael Graham, said the cabins would be “sympathetic” to their surroundings.

He said: “We are proposing a small number of high-quality timber holiday cabins on a previously developed site. The Oxfordshire countryside is a beautiful location to visit and we would love to provide a means for more people to experience it.”

People can comment on the planning application up to Monday, January 5, online at whitehorsedc.gov.uk using the reference P14/V2626/FUL s For more information on the campaign, visit the website savecothillpitt.uk

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