AN MP has backed campaigners fighting against plans to build a huge water park development in a village near Bicester.

North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis has written to the Planning Inspectorate to voice her concerns about American company Great Wolf Resorts' project to build an indoor water park and a 498-room hotel in Chesterton.

ALSO READ: Campaigners launch petition against water park resort appeal near Bicester

The proposals went in front of Cherwell District Council’s planning committee in March and were refused unanimously.

Since then, an appeal has been lodged in the hope that plans will be approved by the Planning Inspector.

Bicester Advertiser:

In her letter, Ms Prentis stresses that the development is not appropriate for the area and that the appeal should be dismissed.

She said: “Having looked at the appeal documents, it strikes me that Great Lakes UK Ltd has spent a considerable amount of time and money in their attempt to appease both planners and local residents.

"However, the facts remain unchanged: Chesterton is a historic village in a rural location served by a local road network which simply does not have the capacity to support the extensive catchment the development hopes to serve.

ALSO READ: Video of what massive US water park could look like in Oxfordshire

"It would change the character of the village irreparably.”

Her letter comes as the Stop the Wolf Campaign continues to gather support from across Oxfordshire.

Nineteen parish councils have united to form a coalition called Parishes Against the Wolf (PAW) specifically to fight against the resort with more set to join.

Some of those signed up so far are Ambrosden, Ardley with Fewcott, Bletchingdon, Charlton-on-Otmoor, Chesterton, Duns Tew, Fritwell and Heyford Park.

Bicester Advertiser:

Caroline Chipperfield-Twiddy, chair of the Stop the Wolf Campaign and a parish councillor at Chesterton Parish Council, said: "The scale of this proposed giant hotel complex is so completely wrong for its surroundings that it’s as if no one from the US has actually ever visited the British countryside.

"After all that 2020 has thrown at us, it is uplifting to see how the local community is pulling together to fight this monstrosity which would have such a terrible impact on a large swathe of Oxfordshire countryside for generations to come."

ALSO READ: District council refuses water park resort plan

An online change.org petition has now been signed by more than 1,200 people and the Stop the Wolf Facebook page now has more than 600 members.

Almost £9,000 has been raised on a gofundme page on top of contributions from parish councils, other bodies, local businesses and previous fundraisers, all totalling in excess of £25,000.

The money will go towards funding consultants and legal representation for PAW at the appeal hearing.