PLANS for thousands of new homes to be built across Cherwell have been submitted to the Government.

Cherwell District councillors have approved the local plan detailing how Bicester, Banbury, Kidlington and surrounding areas will develop in the next 20 years.

A total of 16,750 homes will be built by 2031 — 6,894 in Bicester, 5,954 in Banbury and 3,902 spread across the rest of the district. Some 2,900 are already built.

Cherwell’s lead member for planning Michael Gibbard said: “By sending this document to Central Government for formal adoption, this will not only set out what our plans are for the next 18 years, but will provide a more robust defence against unsuitable planning applications.”

The plan will have a public examination early next year and is likely to be adopted next summer.

Cherwell’s current local plan dates back to 1996 and the absence of a more recent document, coupled with claims of a housing shortage, has seen a rise in planning applications and developers appealing against councillors’ decisions. Some of the appeals have been allowed.