As part of the development, near Wokingham in Berkshire, a new £30million secondary school was opened last year in the converted ex-garrison sports hall and training site. There will also be a new £7million primary school, library, shops and restaurants. But some parts of the 112-year-old garrison are being conserved, including the World War One horse infirmary and Moat House, where the superintendent lived. These are being refurbished for community facilities. It’s a huge site, with developers including Crest Nicholson and Redrow building sections, and will eventually have a linear park running through it plus three acres of new play areas, cycle paths, footpaths and bridleways. Ellie Streeter and her partner Jonathan Hayward were among the first to move to Crest Nicholson’s Waterman’s Lake section in the new Garden Village, using Help To Buy and Forces Help To Buy because Jonathan is an RAF aircraft technician. “When I saw there was a top floor, two-bedroom apartment with views on to Waterman’s Lake it sealed the deal for me,” said Ellie, a sales advisor at the development. Jonathan is also delighted with the open-plan living space and said: “The views from the flat are amazing. “There’s so much sun on our balcony in the evenings; it’s all come together.” Crest Nicholson’s second phase, Barkham Place, now has five-bedroom houses available at £899,000, with two-bedroom apartments from £317,500. A register of interest is open (01184 024768; crestnicholson.com). “We are excited to see Barkham Place integrate into the Arborfield Green community. It really is in a prime location, with nature all around it,” said Crest Nicholson sales and marketing director, Marcus Evans. Meanwhile, a £1.8million regeneration programme is helping to revitalise Aldershot. Phase two of a major new community a few miles from the town is being built at Wellesley on the site of the former garrison there. Several developers are involved in the 3,850-home project, where two schools and community amenities are also being built. One of the latest sections is Corunna, with homes ranging from one and two-bedroom apartments to three, four and five-bedroom houses. The Bellway Homes development has one-bedroom flats from £235,000, two-bedroom houses at £280,000 and five-bedroom houses at £575,000 (0333 577 3135; bellway.co.uk). “There is such a diverse range of facilities close to Corunna, which is set in attractive surroundings that will add to what is already becoming a vibrant community,” said Bellway Homes’ regional director, Nathan Stevenson. And at RAF Walters Ash, newly refurbished military homes no longer required by the Ministry of Defence are being sold to first-time buyers by developers Annington. Many of the houses have been leased back to the MoD but two refurbished two-bedroom houses will be released for sale on March 16 from £325,000, with two new semi-detached, three-bedroom houses available to reserve off-plan from April 20 (annington.co.uk). “Since 1996, Annington has helped thousands of first-time buyers and key workers secure a home, by providing refurbished houses from the surplus property on the former Ministry of Defence married quarters estate,” said Sally Parsons, property director at Annington. Set on the edge of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, Walters Ash has a country village setting but is close to rail lines at High Wycombe and Saunderton for commuters, as well as the M40. “There are nice woodland walks nearby which have also appealed to many of our buyers – especially dog owners – attracted to life in the countryside.”
Housing developments are going ahead on former Ministry of Defence ( MoD ) land . Martin Redrow and Crest Homes are among those working on thousands of new homes at a former army base at Wokingham , Berkshire and several developers are working at a former army base near Aldershot , Hampshire . Schools and churches are included in the developments and historic military buildings are being conserved and used for community activities . Meanwhile , Annington is selling its service homes at the former RAF base at Walters Ash , Buckinghamshire to first - time buyers , although many of the houses have been leased back to the MoD.