A proposal has been put forward to tear down an empty Oxfordshire nursery and replace it with reasonably-priced rental accommodation for local residents.

Stonesfield Pre School and Daycare relocated to a renovated classroom at the village primary school during the previous year, abandoning its late-20th century premises and associated playground.

According to reports, the location currently serves no purpose beyond occasional informal vehicle storage and could be cleared under new development plans.

The area contains numerous trees and sits within the village’s protected conservation zone.

The freehold belongs to the Stonesfield Community Trust, a registered charitable organisation and among the earliest community land trusts established in Britain, tracing its origins back to 1983, which holds multiple properties throughout the settlement.

According to the initiative, the trust offers its housing at accessible prices to individuals either born in or currently residing in the village, or those with direct family connections to existing residents.

The trust currently holds 15 dwellings and seeks to grow its portfolio with a row of three properties comprising one, two and three-bedroom units on the former nursery grounds.

The application notes that the charity faces significant demand, particularly for bigger homes with three or more bedrooms suitable for family occupation, and that this informed the development of the scheme.

The submission states the scheme represents a sustainable approach that reconciles competing demands to deliver affordable housing that complements the character, scale and feel of the surrounding area while satisfying technical space standards and relevant policy obligations.