Residents of Marsh Gibbon, near Bicester, have labelled plans for up to 90 new homes at Court Gate as a 'nightmare' and 'just too big'. The proposal, submitted to Buckinghamshire Council in March, has sparked strong opposition from the community, who argue it would overwhelm the village's infrastructure.
Parish councillor Mark Benzing said he was not against expansion in principle, but questioned the scale: 'It's about proportion – how many can we take, how many houses should be built?' Resident Patrina Needham added that the sewage system could not cope, calling the plans 'not logical' and warning of a loss of village identity.
Sam Wicker, a five-year resident, described Marsh Gibbon as 'like a little family' with a strong community spirit. She said a previous development in 2022, Deanfield View, which included a new village shop, had been a positive addition, but the Court Gate proposals were excessive: 'So much is going to change. The roads cannot deal with even more houses... It's a nightmare to the extent that we would consider moving.'
Land promoter Catesby Estates defended the scheme, stating that Buckinghamshire has seen a 53% drop in new homes built between 2019/20 and 2023/24, and that the area needs affordable housing. It argued that Marsh Gibbon's size, location, and transport links make it a 'sustainable location' for development. The company also noted that as of July 2024, there were 6,857 live applications on the housing register, up by 530 since March.
The planning application is pending a decision by Buckinghamshire Council, which has been approached for comment.
