Oxford Brookes University has acquired the 4.8-acre Milham Ford School site in a multi-million pound deal announced today (January 24).

Brookes secured the prime Oxford site, off the Marston Road, after a fierce bidding war for Oxford's last single-sex state school.

Brookes is believed to have paid more than £10m for the site and news of the acquisition will reinforce its reputation as one of Britain's most ambitious and fastest growing universities.

The sale will provide Oxfordshire County Council with much-needed cash to pay for at least a quarter of the costly schools' re-organisation in Oxford.

The deal will also come as a relief to residents anxious to stop the site being used for housing.

The main school building will be retained and used to house Brookes's School of Health and Social Care, including the training of nurses.

The scheme is also likely to involve some new building with Brookes almost certain to take advantage of existing planning permission for 93 units of housing on the east side of the site.

University vice-chancellor Prof Graham Upton said: "We are delighted to have been successful in our bid for the school, which is close to our Headington Campus.

"This gives the opportunity to bring together the training of nurses, midwives, occupational therapists, osteopaths, physiotherapists and social workers on one site."

The sale will be completed in mid-March with the school remaining at the site until the end of the summer term, when it will close as part of the controversial schools' re-organisation.