Around 760 new homes are to be built at the site of a key World War Two decoy aviation factory in Hertfordshire.

National housebuilder Bellway has been selected as the partner for Homes England's 135-acre development site at the former Panshanger Aerodrome in Hertfordshire. 

Bellway will build 760 homes, with land earmarked for 50 homes each handed back to Homes England for future sales - after Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council previously approved planning for 860 residential properties in total – 30 per cent of which is claimed will be 'affordable.'

The proposals for the site also include retirement accommodation, a primary school, traveller pitches, a new community centre, retail facilities, open space, allotments and associated access/landscaping works.

Panshanger Aerodrome was previously used as a decoy for the De Havilland aviation factory in Hatfield during World War II - later used as a civic airfield for light aircraft.

The land has been sold to Bellway in the deal agreed by the development team at Savills in Cambridge.

Joe Last, associate in the development team at Savills Cambridge, said: "With permission for redevelopment into a sustainable new community, DeHavilland Park represents a unique opportunity for a high quality, low density urban extension with an emphasis on design and placemaking," he said.

"We had strong interest in the site from a number of parties and are delighted to have agreed a deal with Bellway – signalling the start of an important scheme that will significantly contribute to the supply of much-needed new homes in Hertfordshire and the wider East of England."

The scheme near Welwyn Garden City scheme will be known as DeHavilland Park.