WORK has started on a multi-million pound housing development at the former RAF Yatesbury.

The plans for 12 houses and 50 apartments were refused in 2001 but approved in 2007 after a public inquiry.

In 2001 councillors and protest groups rejected the plans saying they were inconsistent with the local area.

But after backing from English Heritage the plans were finally approved by the Home Secretary.

There are four listed buildings on the site.

Three are Grade II listed First World War hangars and the fourth a Grade II listed former combined officers' mess and officers' block.

The hangars, one of which has planning permission to be converted into live and work units, have to be restored before building work on the homes can begin.

Moroccan-based owner Mr Khanfer, 51, who bought the land in 1997, said: "I am over the moon work has finally started on the development. I bought the land because I just fell in love with it.

"The only way to save the hangars was to build homes on the land because there was no grant funding available and I just didn't have the money.

"It has been such a long journey to get here. The homes will pay for the cost of the restoration of the hangars."

Mr Khanfer took a bank loan to fund the work on the the hangers and new homes and will use the revenue generated by the sale of the homes to repay the loan.

Protestor Anne Henshaw, of Campaign to Protect Rural England, who was against the plans in 2001, said the development is an urban dwelling completely out of place in Yatesbury.

She said: "In the plans there is no village or community centre, no pub and nothing for the residents to have any sort of social life. I don't even know if the owner will have anybody who wants to live in these new homes."

Former county councillor Peter Davies, who branded the plans unreasonable when Mr Khanfer put them forward, said the development is inappropriate for the area.

He said: "I stand by what I said originally. This is completely inappropriate for the area. There are no transport links to Yatesbury to support this sort of development.

"I think people are going to be disappointed when the hangar is restored and I don't think it will be to people's satisfaction."