BICESTER has been given tens of thousands of pounds to tackle rising levels of diabetes as it takes the first steps towards becoming a 'healthy town'.

Council officers hope to create a map to identify how many people have the disease and where they live as part of the NHS England backed project.

The initiative, being trialled in ten areas across the country, is integrated into developments and with the overall focus in Bicester being on obesity, loneliness and dementia.

The news comes as it was revealed that since 6,000 eco-home was approved in 2009, there has been almost £700m invested in the rapidly growing town.

This includes things such as the expansion of Bicester Retail Park and upgrades to the rail line.

The latest cash injection has come from the NHS, which has provided £75,000 to set up the diabetes map which will help work out the areas where demand for support is highest.

Bicester Town councillor Lynn Pratt said: “Work is already being done [with support from the local surgeries] to collate figures on diabetes sufferers in Bicester. We want to know how many people there are and what we can do to help them.”

One in every 16 people in the UK is estimated to have diabetes and about 90 per cent suffer from type 2, making it a major modern health concern.

The most recent figure for Oxfordshire reveals that an estimated 28,627 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Mapping patients in the area is one of several projects hoped to get the ball rolling towards creating a healthy town in Bicester.

Other ideas also include creating an app depicting all of the town's safe walking and running routes being developed with the support of Bicester Studio School, installing more bike racks and to better promote the towns open spaces.

A pilot project is also being set up with Longfields Primary School to have isolated older people working with children with behavioural issues in a bid to tackle loneliness.

Later this year the healthy town project will be given an official launch after the Heritage Lottery provided £10,000 for a special community event to mark the occasion.

Leader of Cherwell District Council Barry Wood said: “It is interesting to note all these things are starting to flow now.

“Some people are cynical about this because they say Bicester collects these various status’ and it means nothing.

“But actually being just one of ten and for Bicester to get £75,000, all these things add value beyond just putting the town on the map which in itself is not a bad objective.”

The recent windfall is the latest in a long line of outside investment into Bicester over the past six years since the eco town was approved in 2009.

Since, almost 100 homes have been completed at the NW Bicester eco town site and Bicester has been designated Garden City status on the back of its green ethos.

This in turn has attracted more than £690m investment according to Cherwell District Council officer Jenny Barker.

The officer said over the past seven years more than £300m had been invested into Bicester's infrastructure, including the new railway station and park and ride.

She added that almost £15m has been attracted into the town through the eco town, garden town and healthy town umbrellas.

Elsewhere, £11.72m has been invested into affordable housing, £27m local authorities investment into developments such as Pioneer Square and Garth Park and £1.7m into local projects such as looking into using waste from Ardley incinerator to heat homes in the eco town.

The remaining £333m estimated investment has come from the private sector such as house builders and developers.

A report into the findings said: "The level of funding and investment is just one measure of the changes that are taking place in the town. It is difficult to establish a comprehensive picture of all the investment taking place as it is being undertaken by a wide a range of organisations and individuals, never the less the above figures highlight how successful the town has been, and is being, in attracting funding and investment for a wide range of purposes."