A LETTER calling on a Government minister to force Oxford City Council to reconsider building thousands of homes on controversial sites has been sent by a neighbouring local authority.

Matthew Barber, leader of Vale of the White Horse District Council, has urged the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark, to intervene and require Oxford to review its Local Plan, which was adopted in 2011.

Mr Barber said last year’s report — the Oxfordshire strategic housing market assessment (SHMA) — which stated 100,000 new homes were needed in the county over the next 15 years, meant the city’s current plan was out of date .

According to the SHMA, Oxford’s housing need will be between 24,000 and 32,000 by 2031 and the city council estimates it can only find space for 10,000.

But this figure is disputed by the Vale, South Oxfordshire and Cherwell district councils, which say 16,000 could be built if sites such as Oxford Stadium and Oxford Golf Club were developed.

Mr Barber told Mr Clark: “I ask you to intervene by compelling Oxford City to revise its local plan in order that an up-to-date assessment can be made.”

But Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said: “Planning inspectors at both the Cherwell Local Plan and Northern Gateway public enquiries rejected all the arguments advanced by the Vale.

“Most of the land is in private hands.”