A HEARING into a council's decision to reject planning permission for homes south of Didcot is being held this week.

The four day appeal is looking at whether South Oxfordshire District Council was right to reject Catesby's plans to build 135 homes east of Park Road, near the village of Coscote.

Plans were turned down unanimously by councillors in October last year due to concerns about swallowing up the green gap between Didcot and surrounding villages.

But the developer has decided to appeal and has employed a QC to represent them.

The hearing started on Tuesday in Upton Village Hall and will close tomorrow.

Campaigners packed out the Didcot Civic Hall when the planning application was initially discussed and have been attending the hearing en masse.

Catesby has promised 40 per cent of the homes would be affordable, with various sizes suitable for young families and first time buyers.

It is trying to convince the appeal that the fields the homes are planned to be built on, known and Loyd Road Fields, are not worth saving.

Appeals against South Oxfordshire District Council planning decisions have been overturned previously but campaigners are hopeful that the announcement the council now has a five year land supply will make a difference this time.

The council announced last month that, after consulting with housebuilders and checking planning permissions, it can now demonstrate a 5.4 year supply.

Councils who can't demonstrate a five year supply risk decisions being taken out of their hands.

The development was originally rejected because it was felt to be in the wrong location, would impact on traffic and block views of the landscape.

A final decision date for the appeal has not been set.