Building work begins on huge 1,000-home development on the edge of Banbury

Building work has begun on 1,000 new homes in Banbury.

Construction began this week on the £20 million development, which will include a primary school at Wykham Park Farm, off Bloxham Road to the south of the town.

L&Q Estates has already secured outline planning permission from Cherwell District Council for the development which is expected to create around 80 jobs during the construction phase.

The scheme will include a mix of properties from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom homes.

Of the 1,000 homes, 30 per cent will be transferred to a housing association partner.

A three-form-entry primary school will be built as part of the development through the section 106 agreement and Persimmon Homes will work with Oxfordshire County Council throughout its construction.

Persimmon Homes will also be making land available to Oxfordshire County Council to allow for the expansion of Wykham Park Academy.

A new roundabout off Bloxham Road was completed in November 2022 - and other facilities from the development will include sports pitches, a pavilion, play area and a local centre, including a community hall.

Adrian Clack, managing director of L&Q Estates, said: “This is a major step forward in making Wykham Park Farm a reality after more than 10 years of promoting and developing the site.

“A new community like Wykham Park Farm needs associated amenities like a primary school and attractive facilities to make it a liveable place for new families, couples and retirees moving to the development and we are happy to bring this forward through this new scheme.”

Russell Griffin, managing director at Persimmon Homes South Midlands, said: “We are delighted to have started work on our upcoming community at Wykham Park Farm. This will be a hugely exciting development, delivering much-needed quality homes for people in and around Banbury.

“Once complete, the site will bring 1,000 new properties to the town, addressing local demand while creating jobs in the area - as well as contributing significantly to local services, community facilities and infrastructure.”

The first homes are due to be completed this year.