FUTURE housing proposals that could see more than 7,000 homes built across Oxford will go to a public inquiry.

Oxford City Council’s sites and housing development document plan identifies areas of land within the city which could be used for building to meet growing demand.

The plan proposes up to 93 sites across the city that could be developed by 2026.

They include green and brownfield sites, garage land and car parks.

If the plan goes ahead it would allow the city to exceed its target of providing 1,840 homes over five years, and ultimately allow it to provide about 7,700 homes within 14 years.

A Government appointed planning inspector will examine the scheme for two weeks in September and recommend whether it should move forward.

Inspector Shelagh Bussey will visit each of the 93 sites and consider whether they are appropriate for development.

The inspector will be able to call interested people or organisations to speak at the hearings, which will take place at Town Hall in St Aldate’s.

A number of the sites earmarked for development have proved to be controversial, such as the Headington car park and Oxford Greyhound Stadium.

Both of these have since been removed from the list following public backlash.

Other sites include St Clement’s car park, the Oxford University Press Sports Ground and land near the Kassam Stadium.

Clinton Pugh, who owns Cafe Coco in Cowley Road, is concerned about plans to develop on the St Clement’s car park.

He said: “If there is not a decent replacement car park the whole of the business community around there will fail.

“No one is against development, but progress is supposed to be for the best.

“Parking in Oxford is in short supply anyway.”

But Nicole O’Donnell, of Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association, said her concerns had been put to rest by the council.

She said: “Initially we were concerned, but the council has said it will replace playing fields if they are lost and it doesn’t appear that there will be a net loss.”

If a site is removed from the document, it does not mean it would be protected from development.

But the sites that are included would be listed as the city council’s preferred development sites.

City councillor Colin Cook, executive board member for city development, said: “It will dictate development for the next 10 to 15 years so it is very important for the city.

“It is also very important that we get it right. It will go some way to solving Oxford’s housing problem.”

The hearings will begin on Monday, September 10 at 10am and they will continue until Friday, September 21.

Only those who have already submitted representations on the document may speak at the hearing.

There will be a pre-hearing meeting on Thursday, June 7 at 1.30pm at Town Hall when Ms Bussey will set out how the hearings will be run.

PROPOSED SITES The sites Oxford City Council have earmarked for development include greenfield and brownfield sites. Greenfield sites include the former Barton Road cricket ground, the Bertie Place recreation ground and the East Minchery Farm allotments. Developed sites have also been highlighted such as the city council’s own Cowley Marsh Depot and Oxford University’s Faculty of Music in St Aldate’s. The St Clement’s car park has been a controversial addition, but other car parks on the list include the Union Street and the Diamond Place, Ferry Pool car park.