The date has been set for a public inquiry to decide on whether over 100 homes can be built on much-loved fields near Ducklington village.
West Oxfordshire District Council rejected plans by Ainscough Strategic Land to build up to 120 dwellings on land east of Witney Road in March.
But the developer lodged an appeal against the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, with a final decision being decided at a public inquiry beginning on September 6.
The inquiry will take place at the council’s Wood Green offices.
Some 300 villagers formally objected to the application with some likely to give evidence at the inquiry.
One objector Emma Morse, said Moors Field is the ‘one remaining oasis in a stretch of residential properties’.
Her comment read: “This is a natural, established wildlife habitat, an area of green space and countryside which is easily accessible by foot for the local community to use.
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“Destroying this area would leave many without easily accessible green space in which to walk in the countryside.
“The field is the one remaining ‘oasis’ in a stretch of residential properties.
“Removing this would result in losing an area which provides recreation, space and time for many people, and has a beneficial effect on the emotional and mental wellbeing of those who use it.”
Save The Moors campaigners celebrated after the plans were refused for the open land known as Moors Field.
Around 30 irate residents attended the planning meeting where councillors resoundingly turned down the controversial plans over fears the village would sprawl into Witney.
The loss of a “green gap” between Ducklington and Witney, concern over flooding and a potential net loss of biodiversity, meaning the natural environment would be left in a worse state, were among the arguments put forward by Matthew Barker of Ducklington Parish Council who spoke for an army of villagers in the council chamber.
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Planning officers also recommended refusal, stating the plans were out of keeping with the area’s “character and local distinctiveness”, would increase the volume of homes in the village by 17 per cent, fail to “avoid the coalescence of Witney and Ducklington” and lose green space between the two.
The lack of an agreement for the developers to contribute towards infrastructure also provided a stumbling block.
Jenny Brow of Ainscough argued the reasons for refusal “are not insurmountable” and could be overcome through planning conditions, questioning whether West Oxfordshire may fall short on its five-year housing land supply requirements – the volume of available sites to meet targets.
However, councillors were not persuaded.
Councillor Richard Langridge said: “This is essentially speculative development in the open countryside, it is entirely disproportionate and would have a devastating effect on what is an important area of green space.
“Clearly there are benefits, the affordable housing is a benefit that must be weighed against those harms, but I must agree entirely with the officers that the harms far outweigh the benefits.”
Ainscough Strategic Land were contacted for comment.
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