A CONSORTIUM created by two Oxford colleges will set out plans for hundreds of homes alongside the A34 near Wolvercote.

The group, made up of St John’s College, Worcester College and the property group Kier Ventures Ltd, is consulting on the Northern Gateway proposals for 500 new homes, a hotel and 90,000sq m business park.

The number of houses planned for the North Oxford site has led to calls for a new primary school and it is one of the issues the planning inspector will consider when the public inquiry into the Northern Gateway Area Action Plan resumes on March 10.

It is believed expanding Wolvercote Primary School and Cutteslowe Primary School would not be enough to cope with the number of families which would move into the area.

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An exhibition to be held today and tomorrow will set out plans for the homes, shops, and a hotel with between 120 and 180 bedrooms.

Kevin Dixon, of the consortium, believes it will be "a vibrant and vital new addition to the city.” He said: “Over the next few months we will be running a number of events to seek views from local residents.”

St John’s and Worcester are the main landowners. Other plots are owned by Merton College and Oxford City Council.

Measures to combat traffic congestion on clogged up roads, including new link roads, will also be a key focus of the public inquiry.

Helen Marshall, director of the Oxfordshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “Traffic and air pollution in the area are already atrocious.

"The proposed development will make things worse."

“We are also concerned about the five-storey buildings proposed on higher ground within the Northern Gateway area, which could affect Port Meadow’s protected views and spoil the rural character of Wolvercote."

She added: “Coming hot on the heels of Oxford University’s commitment to do better following the lessons learnt from the Castle Mill accommodation blocks, it is worrying to see that St John’s and Worcester colleges are still not giving adequate consideration to the visual impact of their buildings.”

Dr Katherine Kaye, of the Wolvercote Action Group, said pollution levels were already unacceptable in the area.

She said: “There is simply no way they can mitigate the effects of the traffic.

“We are talking about a planned slum development, with homes surrounded by traffic.

"There is no question that both proposals will reduce the capacity of the area to store water.”

The Northern Gateway exhibition is taking place at the Oxford Hotel, Godstow Road, Wolvercote, today from11am to 8pm and tomorrow from 9.30am to 6pm.