CELEBRITY architect Charlie Luxton will join a 'showcase' event to promote Bicester's Graven Hill self-build housing development.

The TV presenter will give a 'keynote speech' for the event at Bicester Hotel Golf & Spa in Chesterton on Saturday, November 17.

The day will also include guided tours of the Graven Hill development and 'educational workshops on the next steps to building or buying your dream home'.

The free event will run from 10am to 4pm and house-hunters are being urged to book tickets now.

On the same day, an independent group which is planning to set up a community housing project at Graven Hill for over-50s is also holding an open meeting about its plans.

Still Green, which has organised shared or co-housing in Milton Keynes for several years, is hoping to launch a similar scheme at Graven Hill.

In a statement about the plans, group spokeswoman Rhiannon Rees explained: "We are a group of people in our fifties and over who have formed Still Green, a project that has been going for several years in Milton Keynes, and we are now planning to develop a co-housing project in Bicester.

"Our intention is to build a socially-inclusive and self-reliant neighbourhood of about 30 sustainable, self-contained homes, with a 'common house' for shared activities."

Co-housing sees people who do not necessarily know each other, but who are struggling to afford housing, club together to buy or rent a shared home.

At Graven Hill, Still Green are planning to start by buying a series of plots to build a mix of rented and owner-occupied units.

The group are hoping to use their open day, at The Clifton Centre in Ashdene Road, to get local over-50s on board.

Ms Rees added: "Everyone is welcome to take this opportunity to meet some of our members, listen to short presentations about co-housing and explore whether co-housing is for you."

Anyone who would like to attend the event, which will run from 11am to 1pm, is asked to register by emailing stillgreenweb@gmail.com.

For free tickets to the showcase at Bicester Hotel go to gravenhill.co.uk/november-showcase.

Graven Hill, which describes itself as 'the UK’s largest self custom-build site', is expected to take 10 years to complete and will eventually have 1,900 homes, a primary school, pre-school and nursery, community centre and local amenities including shops, cafes and a pub.