Council rules out homes on defence depot site (From Oxford Mail)

Council rules out homes on defence depot site

2:10pm Thursday 29th July 2010 in

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CHERWELL District Council has ruled out building housing on surplus Ministry of Defence land in Bicester for at least 16 years.

Defence Estates, the property arm of the MoD, last week revealed proposals to build 1,650 houses on some of its land at Graven Hill, off the A41.

But Michael Gibbard, the council’s executive member for planning and housing, said the planned eco-town on farmland north-west of Bicester would cater for the town’s housing needs until 2026, and that would be the earliest date Defence Estates land would be considered.

Mr Gibbard said: “The MoD has put in a suggestion to the local development framework but this does not fit well with the motion passed where the council sees North West Bicester completing Bicester's needs beyond 2026.

“So it follows that these MoD sites are only likely to come on stream afterwards and, in any event, the council will want to see eco-standards.”

The move comes after Local Government and Communities Secretary Eric Pickles tore up the South East Plan, which set housing targets, and passed decision-making back to councils.

A spokesman for Defence Estates said: “Any land or property declared surplus to MoD requirements is disposed of in accordance with HM Treasury Guidance — the money raised being an important part of the defence budget to be reinvested in key priorities.”