BARTON residents are being asked to help shape the future of the estate after a huge 885-home development was approved.

Plans to develop land west of the estate were approved in principle by Oxford City Council last Tuesday.

Now people on the estate are being asked to air their views on the Barton West scheme before the homes are built.

Barton Community Association secretary Sue Holden said: “This rubber stamps the fact that Barton West will now happen. Now is the opportunity to start thinking about the more in depth detail.”

Developer Barton Oxford LLP is to spend £16.6m on infrastructure like transport, school places and community services.

Mrs Holden said Barton residents should let councillors and the community association know where the cash should go.

She said: “This is their opportunity now to say what they want in the new development and improvements in the estate.

“Don’t wait until it’s built and then start complaining. Start talking now.”

She said the next step would be a detailed planning application to be submitted to councillors early next year.

The Barton Community Association is meeting to discuss regeneration in the estate on October 23 at 1.30pm in Barton Neighbourhood Centre. The public are welcome.

Van Coulter, city council member for Barton and Sandhills, sat on the planning committee that approved the plan.

He said the development would affect people living in Barton, Sandhills, and Risinghurst.

He said: “It is going to change that whole corner of Oxford. I would be encouraging members of the community to come forward.

“We have only decided the outline planning application, and it was conceded there is a lot of detail to be agreed and this is the kind of detail the community can have a great influence on.”

He said this included the design of the homes, the location of social housing, the layout of parks, sports facilities, allotments and other community areas.