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Bicester Future

Work on the multi-million pound redevelopment of Bicester Town Centre could begin as early as January 2010.

Sainsbury’s, Stockdale Land and Cherwell District Council are targeting the New Year for a start on the redevelopment scheme which includes a cinema, a Sainsbury’s supermarket, a range of new retail and restaurant units, a new bus interchange and car park, and a civic building for Cherwell District Council.

The three parties are working together to deliver a project that will increase the retail and leisure offer in Bicester, improve public transport and car parking provision for the Town Centre, andcreate enhanced areas of public open space. The objective is to complete the majority of the new facilities – including the cinema, Sainsbury’s store, retail units, bus interchange and car park – by the end of 2011 and to make the site for the new civic building ready for development by the District Council at that time.

Jamie Cowen, Sainsbury’s Head of Property Development, said, "This exciting project has been a long term objective for Sainsbury’s and we are now hopeful of being able to start work early in the New Year. We are excited about the contribution the development will make to the success of Bicester Town Centre and look forward to delivering a range of new facilities for the benefit of the local community."

Cherwell District Council's Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Estates, Cllr Norman Bolster, said, "This has been a long time coming but we're now about to see this exciting project get underway. In the current economic climate, at a time when funding for projects like this is difficult to find, it's reassuring for Bicester that Sainsbury’s, Stockdale Land and Cherwell District Council have been able to work together to bring this exciting development forward."

The construction works are being phased in order to help minimise disruption to the Town Centre. The first phase of the project will involve a range of enabling works which need to be completed before the main construction works themselves start towards the end of the year.

The enabling works will be focussed on the western side of the site along Manorsfield Road and include:

• The diversion of the River Bure from the east side of Manorsfield Road onto the west side and landscaping along the new river route
• The diversion of existing utilities connections on both sides of Manorsfield Road in order to accommodate the diversion of the River Bure
• Improvements to Manorsfield Road itself including the creation of a new footpath/cycleway on the west side of the road and the introduction of a roundabout at the junction with Hanover Gardens

Planning permission is already in place for the redevelopment scheme. Full details of the enabling works have now been submitted to the District Council and will need to be approved before the works can commence. A new planning application has also recently been submitted which seeks some alterations to the layout and allocation of floorspace within the scheme.

These changes will underpin the viability of the scheme and ensure the delivery of the best possible development for Bicester by the end of 2011. In summary, the alterations comprise:

• Swapping the positions of the civic building and cinema – This allows for an improved cinema (7 screens instead of 6) and provides the opportunity for the civic building to become a landmark feature on a prominent corner of the site at the junction of Manorsfield Road and St John’s Street.
• Redistributing some of the retail and restaurant space within the scheme – This will ensure the scheme delivers the size, number and type of units that are most likely to be attractive to retail operators and reinforces the role of the Sainsbury’s store as an anchor for the Town Centre.
• An increase in car parking spaces from 526 to 566 – The existing Franklins Yard, Bure Place and Crown Walk car parks currently provide 368 spaces.
• Minor alterations to the internal servicing arrangements as part of the other changes in layout to the scheme.

Regular updates will be added to this site as more information becomes available.

Further information can be obtained from Bob Langton. Tel 01295 712558.

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