Former university campus site will feature 239 properties

Nationwide building society has appointed a main contractor to build 239 homes in Swindon. The project received planning permission last year.

Oakfield Campus, Nationwide

Almost a third of the homes in the scheme will be affordable

Mi-space has been selected for the £50m scheme, which is located on a 5.3ha site previously owned by the University of Bath.

Construction on the former Oakfield campus, which has been empty since 2008, is expected to start in April and finish by the end of 2024.

Mi-space, which is part of the Midas Group, will work with Manchester-based developer Igloo to complete the scheme, which will feature 71 affordable homes.

The development will comprise mainly terraced houses or maisonettes, with a small block of apartments, including community space.

All homes will have at least one parking space and either a private garden or access to shared gardens.

Nationwide, whose headquarters is in Swindon, announced in November 2017 that it wanted to build the homes. It has been in regular talks with residents and businesses to ensure its plans would meet local needs.

It also hoped its approach to community engagement would encourage other firms to adopt a similar cooperative strategy.

The architects on the Oakfield scheme are Metropolitan Workshop and PRP.