PLANS to build thousands more homes in West Oxfordshire than the number agreed in the Local Plan would mean Witney “grinds to a halt,” it is claimed.

As the examination of the plan began on Monday West Oxfordshire District Council and Oxford City Council agreed they would accept it being modified in the near future to allow more homes.

The current plan is a blueprint for future development of West Oxfordshire and contains proposals for 10,500 new homes by 2031.

But last week the Oxfordshire Growth Board said another 15,000 would be needed in the county to ease pressure on housing in Oxford.

The board is expected to report back next year on where the houses should be located.

If some are recommended for West Oxfordshire the Local Plan could be modified to incorporate them.

Witney mayor Jim King said this would be bad news for the town.

He said: “People in Witney are concerned about the initial proposals so if we ended up with ever more houses we would be very, very concerned.

“I believe Witney would grind to a halt. We would get power cuts. We would get loss of gas pressure.

“I do not think the sewerage and the water could cope.

“We understand houses have to be built, but without the infrastructure the place will just sink.

“It would be very concerning if a plan was agreed that was not the final figure.”

Both the district council and the city council have agreed the current Local Plan will need to be revised.

But the city council would like it altered before planning inspector Simon Emerson, who is currently hearing representations about it at the district council’s HQ in Witney, approves it.

The district council said a commitment to review the proposals within two years would be a better option.

City council leader Bob Price said: “Modifying the Local Plan at this stage would be the best way forward, but we recognise that may delay things.

“We would be prepared to go down the review route.”

When the Cherwell Local Plan was approved in June it contained a commitment for Cherwell District Council to find space for new homes to satisfy demand in Oxford in the near future.

Speaking at the examination on Monday, West Oxfordshire District Council officer Giles Hughes said a similar option was what his local authority preferred.

He said: “The context in which we are considering this is the context of adopting a local plan.

“We are very keen to get a new Local Plan in place as soon as possible.

“In our minds, the best way of taking this forward is a twin-track approach where we sort out the review and issues in terms of West Oxfordshire’s needs in the Local Plan and then we carry out the review process.”

The district council’s approach was backed by consultants West Waddy ADP.

Speaking at the meeting John Aston of the company said: “There will always be new population or new job figures. We say it is better to get that review process than wait for a point where everybody’s figures align.”

The examination of the Local Plan will finish today.