Bulldozers are now at work after a new expansion programme was given the final green light.

The August deadline for legal challenges to the complex landowning and building deals accompanying the development of north east Witney passed without a hitch.

This week land clearance started - and a new 950-home estate could be finished within five years.

Oxfordshire County Council is now promising that the long-awaited Cogges Link Road - partly funded by the new development - could be completed by as early as the autumn of 2002.

Developers and landowners are contributing millions of pounds towards public infrastructure work to benefit the town. Chris Burchard-Wille, county principal planning officer, told the Oxford Mail' this week: "We think we have done a damned good deal for Witney. This is really good news for everyone who lives in the town."

If everything goes to plan, by the year 2005 Witney will have:

**A new north east Witney housing estate

**The Cogges Link Road from Oxford Hill to Witan Way

**A distributor road from Oxford Hill to Woodstock Road

**A new primary school and new home for Springfield special school

**The transfer of part of Wood Green School playing field into public use.

The new housing development will boost Witney's population to around 25,000 - virtually double the size of the town in 1978.