PLANS for the 1,700-home extension to the ‘eco-town’ in north west Bicester have been presented to residents.

Developer P3Eco has proposed building “Himley Village” and is seeking people’s views on the scheme.

The 230-acre site, north of Middleton Stoney Road, will include “green” homes, as well as a nursery and a school.

So far P3Eco has submitted a rough outline of its plans to Cherwell District Council, but the full plans are expected in November.

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The “eco town” was announced by the Government in 2009 as the UK’s first “zero carbon town”.

The 1,000-acre site will eventually have up to 6,000 homes and work on the first phase of 393 with a primary school and businesses started in March.

Former Royal Army Ordnance Corps serviceman John Worrall, of Bristol Road, went along to see the designs with wife Norma.

The 66-year-old said: “I thought it looked like a very good scheme. To be honest I’m not much of a tree-hugger, but building this type of green home has to be a good thing.

“We went along because we were interested to find out about what facilities they are going to provide and when people might move in.

“I haven’t got any particularly deep thoughts about it, but it can only be a good thing for the town if the council gets some money through it to spend on better infrastructure.”

P3Eco’s designs include open spaces, ponds, “habitat corridors” and community spaces. A nursing home is also being considered.

Director Steve Nardelli said the school would be a “farm school”, focusing on agriculture, allotment growing and “being close to nature”, and would be built first.

He said: “We want Himley Village to be a standalone project of its own, within the eco-town, and self-contained.

“There will eventually be a community centre and a public space with good links to the school.

“It will be like living in the countryside, because there is so much open space.

“We will be submitting our full plans within the course of the next month.”

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