A RESCUE plan to stop ‘the finest views in England’ being lost forever has been launched by staff at Blenheim Palace.

The multi-million-pound scheme will restore the main lake in the 18th-century grounds designed by ‘Capability’ Brown.

But residents fighting Blenheim Palace’s plans to build homes near Woodstock have spoken out, arguing that the palace should protect neighbouring environments as well.

Up to 300 homes are set to be built on land to the east of Oxford Road that is owned by the estate.

The palace has said that part of the proceeds will be used for upkeep and maintenance of the grounds. 

Woodstock town councillor Sharone Parnes said “A lot of the new development will be on green fields. 

“Some residents would see a paradox there. 

“Of course the heritage and environment of the palace needs to be preserved. 

“They are going to such lengths to protect their own environment but there are many other environments which arguably deserve protection as well.

“Keeping Blenheim well-maintained is not a good enough reason to destroy areas around the estate.”

A team of diggers will dredge 400,000 tonnes of silt – enough to fill Wembley Stadium – from Queen’s Pool and Blenheim Lake that has built up over decades.

Without the works, reported to cost up to £12m, the palace said the lake would eventually disappear – destroying what Sir Winston Churchill’s father called ‘the finest view in England’.

The works will also allow parts of the Vanbrugh Bridge that have been under water for more than 100 years to be revealed again.

It has been described as the ‘largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken at a stately home.’

But Mr Parnes said he is concerned about the effect the project would have on the surrounding area and claimed that the palace had not been forthcoming with the town council to discuss their plans. 

He said: “There is a lot that seems to be unknown and the council has not been given a chance to comment on anything.”

A firm start date has not been finalised.

Roger File, Blenheim’s property director and chief operating officer, said that the palace was still in the early stages of developing the plan and would be discussing it with the town council.

Mr File said: “At this stage we do not imagine we will be using local roads [for work vehicles] and there will be little disruption for local people.”

Regarding the housing plans he said: “We do not have access to public funds and West Oxfordshire has a large housing need so it makes sense for us to see if there is a way we can use this to protect one of the country’s greatest estates.”