CONSTRUCTION of a new school near Bourton was kick-started by Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown when he cut the very first turf.

The school is being built as part of a the new Linden Homes Victory Fields development, at the former Royal Air Force base.

As well as a village shop, community centre and pub, the neighbourhood will include a new sister campus to Great Rissington Primary School down the road.

Work on the new school site is expected to be finished in the spring next year ready for classrooms to accept their first pupils later that September.

Mr Clifton-Brown said: “I was delighted to be able to cut the first turf of the new Upper Rissington Primary School. Not only will this be an excellent facility in its own right, in a stunning location, it will also end the need to have to travel further afield as parents and children living in Upper Rissington will now have a school on their doorstep.

“During my visit I was able to see the rest of the development, which will provide high quality homes in addition to the school and a new village shop.

“The other bonus of this development is that all the existing houses in Upper Rissington now have a new water supply and a reliable sewerage system, so that all the problems that existed in the past should now be eliminated."

Also at the ceremony, was Great Rissington Primary School headteacher, Liz Bannister, county councillor Nigel Moor, and Ben Ramsay, operations director from Kier, the construction company building the school.

Peter Carpinelli, Linden Homes Thames Valley managing director, added: “A new school is always a special moment for a family community like Victory Fields, so we were delighted that the headteacher, local MP and county councillor were all on hand to join us in cutting the first turf.

“The event gave us the chance to update everyone on the progress we’re making on delivering high quality homes, jobs and investment to the area, and how Victory Fields is meeting the promise of flourishing into a friendly new neighbourhood.”