AN ONLINE petition calling for the scrapping of the controversial Woodstock East development has been launched.

Entitled ‘Save Woodstock! Say No to 1200 More Houses’, the petition first appeared on Tuesday and has attracted more than 100 signatures.

Earlier this year, developers Pye Homes carried out a consultation on its plans for land owned by the Blenheim Palace estate which would have included 1,500 new homes, a care village, sports facilities, parks and a primary school.

After opposition from residents the plans were revised in June to 1,200 homes and a reduced number of care units.

Part of the new petition, set up by campaign group Save Woodstock in response to the development, reads: “We say no to 1200 more houses, football stadium, inappropriate retail space and associated transport infrastructure. We implore the West Oxfordshire District Council and the Cherwell District Council to stop the proposed development.”

Woodstock Town Councillor Brian Yoxall, a supporter of the campaign, added: “We are still objecting strongly to it.

“It’s enormous. The sheer scale of it is disproportionate. The town at the moment has a population of about 3,000 and this will practically double that.

“We think it will ruin the nature of the town. Woodstock is a nice little historical town and an important conservation area.

“We would oppose any greenfield development.”

A petition running at Woodstock Town Hall has so far gathered about 150 signatures.

To view or sign the online petition, visit tinyurl.com/oxlsx9v.