BUILDING is about to get underway on a new housing development in an Oxfordshire village despite its planning permission initially being refused.

Redrow Thames Valley will build 84 homes on a 10-acre estate called Sanderson Park in Ambrosden, near Bicester.

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One, two, three and four-bedroom homes will be available, with 35 per cent of the new development off Merton Road made up of affordable housing.

But getting the greenlight for the project proved difficult for the developer after Cherwell District Council rejected its application back in 2018.

The council said the development was considered to be 'unnecessary, undesirable and unsustainable' because of its scale and location 'beyond the built up limits of the village'.

It also said the estate would 'cause local landscape harm and a significant amount of harm to the character and appearance of the countryside'.

There were also concerns about whether the site would make adequate provision for necessary infrastructure.

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However Planning Inspector Philip J Asquith overturned the decision and approved the application on appeal in 2019, setting out conditions.

As well as the new houses, Redrow will also be supporting the wider village of Ambrosden with more than £1.2 million in contributions towards community services.

This includes the building of a new community hall which will feature a large community room for events, the creation of a new primary school, the redevelopment of a leisure centre and an improved bus and highways service.

Charles Rafferty, Land Director for Redrow Homes Thames Valley, said: “We are delighted to be bringing more much-needed new homes to the area.

“We understand that the priorities of prospective homebuyers have changed over the last year, with proximity to green, open spaces and easy transport connections high on the agenda – and Sanderson Park really does tick all the boxes.

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“We are thrilled to have exchanged on the land north of Merton Road, in the desirable village of Ambrosden, where we plan to build much-needed homes and further cement our reputation for creating thriving communities across the Oxfordshire region.

“We’re anticipating that this development will be incredibly popular – we’d encourage anyone looking to purchase a home at Sanderson Park to register their interest as soon as possible.”

The homes will form part of the housebuilders’ award-winning Heritage Collection, which has proven popular with homebuyers looking for traditional 1930s charm combined with a contemporary and high-spec interior.

The development will be pre-launched from The Steeples, on Stevenson Crescent in Oxford, in the new year.

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