THE first phase of building work in a £10m programme to create a free school at a former Cold War base should start within months.

Detailed plans for the refurbishment of the former American sports hall at Heyford Park, near Bicester, were submitted to Cherwell District Council this week.

It comes after permission to change an officers’ mess and sports hall at the former US Air Force base into classrooms was approved last month.

The school is set to open in September.

At an open day, principal David Castles hopes the proposals will go before the planning committee in April and the work is expected to take about four months.

He said: “We want to get this absolutely right so we create a school learning environment to promote learning in specific areas.”

Parent Sarah-Jane Brock, of Fewcott, whose son Thomas, 10, will start at the school in September, said: “It’s all really good, all very positive.”