An aviation heritage centre and sports facilities are part of an ambitious plan to redevelop an RAF airfield.

The RAF Bicester site, off the A421 Bicester to Buckingham road, will be handed over by the Ministry of Defence to be sold off in March next year.

Developers Grove 2000, based in Wantage, put in an offer to buy the airfield, and build eight football pitches, indoor tennis courts, a rifle range, a go-karting track and a circular walk.

The aviation heritage centre would mean gliding could continue from the airfield. The bid was rejected by the MoD, but now the firm is pursuing the scheme with Cherwell District Council.

Grove 2000, which has developed a similar site in Grove, wants to refurbish the listed buildings at RAF Bicester and let them out to companies.

Chairman Robert Lamplough said: "Our offer was rejected and we understand the Ministry is seeking to secure planning permission for houses on part of the site. "We believe this would not only vandalise part of our national heritage, but also deny the town of Bicester a much-needed recreation facility."

Mr Lamplough, who has an interest is historic aircraft and gliding, has met Cherwell's chief executive Grahame Handley to press his case.

The council has earmarked the airfield as a potential site for 1,860 homes to be built up to the year 2011.

Story date: Tuesday 12 October

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.