The public is being asked for feedback on plans to build a new town in the county which will be the same size as Thame.
Plans for the 6,500-home town, called Harrington, are being developed by property company Summix.
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The new settlement will be located south of A40 and close to junction 7 of the M40.
The land where Harrington will be built is neither in the Oxford Green Belt nor the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), with the town expected to be designed as a sustainable community.
Summix is now seeking the views of local people when considering the issues and opportunities that will arise from planning the new community.
David Bretherton, chair of the Thame Town Council planning committee, called the development a “non-story”.
The Lib-Dem said: “What has happened is, as part of the local plan process, South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council have put a call out for possible sites to be included in the local plan, which will replace the current local plan that runs until 2030.
“So, they are looking way in the future and the developer has said ‘me too please’”.
Mr Bretherton went on to call the project “developers regurgitating an old idea”, which has already been rejected.
South Oxfordshire Anne-Marie Simpson, cabinet member for planning, told this newspaper it was “a little early to be discussing or speculating” on the project.
The councillor added the company is welcome to hold community planning events and it is “not for the planning authority to get involved at this stage”.
“What we need to do is evaluate against emerging plans, priorities and our housing need. That is really where we are at.
“It is early days for any site promotor, there is not prioritisation at this stage,” she said.
A spokesperson from South Oxfordshire District Council said, “Harrington is not an allocated site in our current adopted Local Plan.
"We’re currently in the process of developing a new Joint Local Plan to guide what kinds of new housing, infrastructure, jobs, green spaces and transport are needed and where they should go, and set environmental standards for development.
"Potential sites for development submitted as part of that process will be evaluated against the emerging plan’s priorities and our local housing need.”
How you can respond
You can give your views on Harrington both online and in person.
In the run up to the Community Planning Weekend, residents are invited to participate online to give their initial comments on the local area and views about Harrington.
You can find out more here: harringtonnewsettlement.co.uk/have-your-say/
The in-person Community Planning Weekend will then take place on November 11 and 12 at Hilton Oxford Belfry in London Road, Milton Common.
Here people can come for the whole event or just a few hours and provide their views to staff.
What happens next
Following this, on November 15, a Report back presentation will take place at the same location.
Following feedback, the team will analyse and summarise the outcomes and draw up a Vision for Harrington. This will include an illustrative masterplan which will be presented back to the community.
You can find out more here: harringtonnewsettlement.co.uk/have-your-say/
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Read more from this author
This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.
You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry
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