THE promise of a new community facility has been described as a 'golden opportunity' for Milton and the wider Didcot community.

Alongside 458 homes planned for the site east of Milton Hill, landowners the Hartwright family have included a new community building as part of their application.

This has been met with delight by chairman of Milton United Football Club, Andy Burchette, who says it has taken a long time to even get to this stage.

The 51-year-old who lives south of Didcot said: "We have been on this site for 18 years, although the club has been in Milton since 1909.

"Our facilities are tired and tatty and the best thing would be to get it up to the standard we need is for it to be knocked down and rebuilt.

"Of course this is only a plan but we have worked very hard with the parish council and developers to get this far.

"We really think this could be a fantastic opportunity for the whole community, giving us a facility we all deserve and can use."

The plans fall into the site which has already been earmarked for housing as part of the Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031.

In the application plans, the use of the proposed pavilion is to provide changing rooms and officials changing rooms together with a club room, kitchen, bar and office.

There will also be increased facilities for spectators, including a covered viewing area.

Milton Parish Council is also set to benefit from the proposed community building as a meeting room will be provided with access to the club room and welfare accommodation.

Mr Burchette hopes that the plans could enable the club to not only expand teams but also expand the different type of activities it offers.

He added: "We hope now that the consultation has gone live people will see what we are trying to do here and help get on board."

Out of the 458 homes, 161 will be affordable and there will be a combination of flats and houses on the site.

The family were previously working with Taylor Wimpey to deliver the plans but are now progressing alone and will select a new development partner early next year.

The Hartwright family also seeks to reserve land and contribute funding towards the expansion of St Blaise Primary School.

It is expected that plans for the school will be submitted in the following days.

Focus Design Partnership, agents for the family, said it hoped work building works would start on the site next summer with the first lot of residents moving in by summer 2018.

A consultation has now opened on Vale of White Horse District Council website and will run until Wednesday December 21.

To comment visit: whitehorsedc.gov.uk and search using the application reference number: P16/V2900/FUL