In a letter on its findings to the city council, the planning inspectors said that it did not find that the authority had engaged “constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis” on housing need with other local authorities.

On housing numbers, the letter said: “While Oxford City has a buoyant economy, the Standard Method would provide additional housing, which would support jobs growth.

“There is no clear justification in this case for departing from the standard method, exceptional circumstances do not exist.”

The council said it “strongly disputes the findings” and that the new government were bringing in higher housing targets.

Labour leader of the council Susan Brown said: “The planning inspectors have failed to grasp the seriousness of Oxford’s housing crisis and the number of new homes we need to tackle this crisis – and don’t appear to have heeded the clear message from government which requires all councils to up their housing delivery ambitions.”

The government has said it wants to build 1.5m homes over the next five years.