Grove airfield development given the go ahead
Building work on the long-awaited Grove Airfield development could get underway soon.
Plans for up to 2,500 homes on the old airfield at Grove have been officially granted outline planning permission after Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey signed a legal agreement with Vale of White Horse District Council and Oxfordshire County Council that sets out the infrastructure the developers will provide to support the new housing.
The airfield site is over 140 hectares in size, 64 hectares of which will be built upon. The development will include new schools for children at both primary and secondary school age, a community hub, a local centre for shops and other community facilities, a community park, playing fields and an ecology park. It will also include around 800 affordable homes.
The next stage is for the developers to submit detailed planning applications and once those are approved, building can begin.
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council said: “This agreement brings lots of key infrastructure and funding to support the housing growth. As well as land for new schools, the agreement secures over £40m towards new primary and secondary education facilities and key road infrastructure (Wantage Eastern Link Road). We look forward to the delivery of key infrastructure to support this much needed housing growth.”
Cllr Matthew Barber, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “We are very pleased to have got to this stage – a lot of work and effort has gone into this from all parties. The expansion of Grove in the 60s and 70s gave thousands of families the opportunity to find a home of their own, in a good neighbourhood in the Vale. The airfield development will provide that opportunity to their children and grandchildren.”
Richard Briggs, managing director for Persimmon Homes Wessex, said: “We are delighted to have been granted outline planning for this new development which will bring much-needed starter and family homes to Oxfordshire.”