BUILDING work on a major new housing estate in Bicester is due to start next month – more than two years after planners gave it the green light.

Developer Countryside Properties says it is finalising details for work on farmland, known as the south west option, and is ready to go.

The site, off Oxford and Middleton Stoney roads, has also been renamed Kingsmere Bicester.

The first major work at the site will be the road infrastructure, which includes building a roundabout on Middleton Stoney Road opposite Shakespeare Drive.

Significant work, including landscaping, will also be done at balancing ponds and Pingle Brook, both on the site.

Residents will see the construction of a relief road from the A41 to Howes Lane built earlier than planned. The perimeter road, which should relieve traffic congestion in south west Bicester, should be complete by 2013 Countryside Properties’ land and development manager, Lucy Sinnott, said: “The first two parcels of land have been marketed.

“There has been huge demand for the site and the building contractors could be on site as soon as September, with the first unit sales by spring 2011.

“The last parcel will be sold in 2016 and the final unit sold in 2018.”

Mrs Sinnott, who has been working on the Bicester project for more than two years and had a number of failed start dates, said the fact that the company was starting work was a “positive sign” economic sign.

She said: “We are currently working on pre- commencement conditions and are ready to go.

“Some people may have noticed trees have come down in Middleton Stoney Road and in April we hope our contractors will be on site.

“There will be a new Middleton Stoney junction, a roundabout, and the first section of spine road through the development.”

Bicester mayor James Porter said: “It’s good news.

“It put in place a trigger mechanism for us as a town to get 40 acres of land for sports activities.”

Earlier this year, the developer was given the green light to build less social housing in phase one of the project in a bid to get building work started.

That means about ten per cent of affordable housing will be built in the initial stage rather than 30 per cent, but numbers will be made up in stage two.

There will be a total of 476 affordable homes.

New arrangements were agreed with the planning authority, Cherwell District Council, after the firm said the recession and drop in the housing market meant the site was not financially viable.

In June 2008 the firm was given planning permission for 1,585 homes, a health village, elderly people’s home, shops, pub and restaurant, two primary schools and one secondary school.

A hotel, children’s day nursery, community centre, sports pavilion, open space land, and link road were also to be included.