HOUSEHOLDERS have hit out at plans to build key worker housing on designated playing fields.

Proposals for a development made up entirely of affordable homes have been put forward on land next to William Morris Close in Temple Cowley.

But Oxford City Council has designated the site as 'open space' – a status backed by more than 50 people who have so far objected to the scheme.

Judith Harley, from Old Temple Cowley Residents' Association, said: "Contrary to the application this is not a 'redundant sports field and car park'. It would still be available for recreation had the present owner not fenced it off and rendered it publicly unusable.

"Oxford is already deficient in open space, especially for sports facilities, and it is not acceptable to take any identified open space for residential development.

It is the latest in a series of application intent on unlocking the site for housing – dating back to March 2013 – which have all been rejected by the council.

But social solutions firm Openwell and site owners Cantay Estates said the city's housing crisis was 'too severe' to turn down this opportunity on the site.

Some 73 of the homes would be taken by tenants from a council-approved list of key worker groups, which could include social workers, schoolteachers and nurses.

They would pay discounted rent at least 23 per cent below the market price.

The playing fields were formerly used by the Lord Nuffield Club but was acquired by Cantay Estates in 2012.

It has been vacant ever since and several plans, including for 70 smart homes, and another for houses next to two all-weather pitches have been turned down.

Council leader Bob Price said it was 'regrettable' no-one had come forward to rejuvenate the playing fields but added it would not succumb to pressure the longer it remained vacant.

Angelina Abayateye, a teacher at Tyndale Community School, next to the site, called for it to be used by the school.

She said: "The housing is far too close to the primary school.

"Surely the council could acquire some of the land for the school children as a playing field."

Cantay Estates director Tony Nolan said the proposals would include an outdoor gym and it was seeking to identify local leisure projects to fund as part of the scheme – to replace the lost space.

He said: "Given the positives arising from this development in the form of affordable housing for key worker groups, publicly accessible facilities at the site, and substantial contributions available for local leisure schemes, this proposal surely has greater merit than its retention in its current form as a redundant privately owned, secured and publicly inaccessible former playing field.

"The housing crisis is simply too severe to ignore opportunities such as these where the retention of the status quo offers no benefits whatsoever."