PLANS to build 16,000 homes in West Oxfordshire by 2031 will again face scrutiny as an inspector resumes his examination of a crucial planning document.

Planning inspector Malcolm Rivett will continue to assess the soundness of West Oxfordshire District Council’s local plan – which was updated after being rejected in 2015 – tomorrow.

Representatives from various organisations will raise their concerns over the updated plan, which now proposes an extra 5,000 homes in areas including Witney, Carterton, Eynsham, Chipping Norton and Woodstock, on top of the original 11,000 first put forward.

The extra homes were proposed after the initial plan was rejected for not having sufficient housing.

The first day will focus on Witney, with developers, action groups and other interested parties discussing sites in the town and surrounding area – including plans to build 1,400 homes to the north of Witney.

Mr Rivett stressed that he would be looking at the plan proposed by the district council as opposed to entertaining alternative options.

He said: “I am examining the soundness of the plan as proposed by the council and not the merits of specific sites not allocated for development in the plan.

“The robustness of the housing site selection process employed in formulating the plan is being considered in stage two of the examination and I will be reaching conclusions on the adequacy of the supply of housing as part of stage three.”

Mr Rivett said the plan could be halted if it was deemed necessary to introduce a new site not outlined in the council’s plan.

He continued: “If, at any point in the examination, I conclude that it is necessary for alternative or additional development sites to be allocated in the plan it is likely that a pause or suspension in the examination would be necessary in the first instance for the council to consider how best to respond to these concerns.”

During previous examination hearings last month, the plan was challenged on a number of issues, including the council’s decision to include a 2,200-home garden village near Eynsham as a way of meeting Oxford’s unmet housing need.

Mr Rivett raised concerns he had received that the plans, which would see the homes and a science park built north of the village on land off the A40, would be an extension of Eynsham rather than a settlement in its own right.

Other issues raised during the hearing included the apparent lack of homes allocated to Carterton, despite the council choosing to adopt a three-town strategy, focusing on developing Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton.

Carterton and the surrounding area is earmarked for 2,600 new homes, whereas Eynsham and its surrounding area could see 3,200.

The plan will resume at the council’s Woodgreen offices in Witney on Tuesday at 10am.

Day one will focus Witney.

The following day talks will centre on Carterton, with other towns taking focus later. The examination is expected to continue until July 20.