McClean criticised the government decision, saying it appeared “more interested in judging Cherwell’s past performance than recognising the progress being made today”.
“Residents expect major decisions affecting their communities to be shaped by local knowledge and local accountability,” she said.
“This designation creates a route for those decisions to be made by the Planning Inspectorate, outside the local democratic process.”
Calum Miller, the Lib Dem MP for Bicester and Woodstock, was equally critical of the government designation – labelling it a “Whitehall power grab”.
“The Government is blaming Cherwell for delays to development caused in large part by national infrastructure failure,” he said.
“Local people are being punished for a problem Ministers have failed to solve,” he added.
The designation came into force on Monday, and will not end until it is revoked by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
