Graven Hill land bought for mass self-build community

The 1,900-home scheme on the former Graven Hill MoD site is expected to be the largest of its kind

Plans for the "UK's largest self-build community" have moved forward after the sale of a site was completed.

Cherwell District Council wants to build up to 1,900 homes on the former Ministry of Defence site Graven Hill in Bicester, Oxfordshire.

The council wants the site to provide a mixture of accommodation, including kit homes and self-build houses.

Work will now start to prepare the site for commercial space and homes ahead of building work beginning in 2015.

Contracts were exchanged between Cherwell District Council and the MoD in March but the deal has only just been completed.

'Several years' work'

The council said the 187-hectare site would also accommodate one million square feet of commercial space and create up to 2,000 new jobs and apprenticeships.

Barry Wood, leader of Cherwell District Council, said: "The sale of this site is representative of several years' work behind the scenes to secure this purchase and completes the first stage of our vision to deliver the UK's largest self-build community."

The self-build concept will also include community projects where the owner designs the property but employs contractors to build it.

The properties will vary in size but are likely to include detached, semi-detached and terraced homes of differing sizes, apartment blocks and bungalows.

Planning consent has been granted for the new homes along with a primary school, employment space, a pub or restaurant and a small number of local shops.