DEVELOPERS have been given the green light to begin the construction of a multi-million-pound housing development.

Building works on the land owned by Oxford University’s wealthiest college, St John’s, will begin next week on August 23, to start developing the £15 million Oxford North development.

The college’s development company Thomas White Oxford has said Oxford North will create 480 new homes, of which at least 35 per cent will be affordable, and as many as 4,500 jobs for the city on fields centred around the A40, A34, and A44 north of the Wolvercote Roundabout.

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The new site, which will also house offices for start-ups and Government departments, for local authorities and health services, in its new ‘science district’ plans to rival the likes of Silicon Valley-style tech parks in the US.

The infrastructure works will begin after Oxford City Council gave the go-ahead to kick-start the development last week.

Thomas White Oxford has appointed house building company, the Hill Group, to begin the first phase of the works.

The Hill Group is currently working on several other housing projects around Oxfordshire, including assisting with the 270 new homes in Littlemore and the 29 Passivhaus-standard homes intended to be built on a plot of land at Meadow Lane in Iffley.

The council gave the group planning permission for the 64-acre pan in March of this year.

The first round of construction includes earthworks, creating sustainable drainage ponds, and building the initial infrastructure required for the link road between the A40 and A44.

William Donger, director, Thomas White Oxford said: “With the world’s eyes on Oxford, we are as ever committed to deliver our investment into this project, local area, and City. These enabling works lay the ground so that future development parcels will be able to come forward without further significant earthworks being required.

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“To have Hill Group contracted for both the phase 1 infrastructure and new homes on Canalside is positive delivery news for the project.

“We are delivering a world-leading sustainable place to provide much-needed new homes, to facilitate jobs and enable life-enhancing discoveries which will deliver connectivity and growth while transforming lives and the city.”

Andy Hill, chief executive, Hill Group said: “We are delighted to have been selected as the contractor to deliver the infrastructure for the new district, helping to facilitate future phases, including the new homes that we will be providing at Canalside.

“We will be looking to expand the workforce to help deliver this project and welcome applicants, who will benefit from our comprehensive training and development programmes, particularly from the local area.”