Town centre redevelopment on track for summer 2013 opening

Construction of the Bicester town centre development is now nearing completion, ready for opening this summer.

When completed, the redevelopment will include a new Sainsbury’s foodstore, a seven screen Vue cinema, a new shopping street, multi-storey car park with over 500 parking spaces and a new bus interchange area on Manorsfield Road.

With the structure of the new buildings now nearly completed, activity has moved inside and teams are hard at work to lay flooring, construct internal partitions and fit heating, cooling, lighting and electrical systems.

Following the completion of the development’s steel skeleton last July, it has taken seven months to create the new multi-storey car park and clad the shell of the development in a mix of brickwork, stonework and glazing.

The spiral car park access ramps have been constructed and the surface of the new 500 space multi-storey town centre car park, above the Sainsbury’s supermarket and Vue cinema, has been laid. The car park includes both spaces for disabled shoppers and for parents visiting the town centre with children.

To help drivers find a parking space, the car park will include real-time information screens advising users of the total number of available spaces on each of the two parking levels. The lower level will also include a lighting system above each space which will indicate the location of unoccupied parking spaces.

Pedestrians will be able to access the new store, shopping area and cinema from the car park by using travelators, lifts and stairwells located around the redevelopment.

Paul Tyler, Sainsbury’s Project Manager, said:

“We are now entering a really exciting phase of the redevelopment project and hopefully local people and visitors to the town centre can see how much work has been put in by our team since we started.

“Recruitment at the new Sainsbury’s foodstore has now started and around 300 full and part-time positions are being advertised on

www.sainsburys.jobs and more information is also available in the new Sainsbury’s recruitment centre in Crown Walk.

“When it is completed in the summer, shoppers, visitors and residents will benefit from a range of new retail and leisure opportunities that will make Bicester town centre a more attractive place to come and visit.”

Bicester is becoming a hot bed for new and existing businesses that want to grow.

“Bicester is becoming a hot bed for new and existing businesses that want to grow. We’ve got a great location, excellent business networks and access to high quality investment opportunities.”
2016-09-24T12:44:28+01:00
“Bicester is becoming a hot bed for new and existing businesses that want to grow. We’ve got a great location, excellent business networks and access to high quality investment opportunities.”

Membership of Bicester Vision has provided the best possible conduit for the military

"Membership of Bicester Vision has provided the best possible conduit for the military to both understand and contribute towards the development and Bicester Town"
2016-12-06T14:46:03+00:00
"Membership of Bicester Vision has provided the best possible conduit for the military to both understand and contribute towards the development and Bicester Town"

Being a member enables us to build a close understanding of the needs of local businesses

“Chiltern Railways provides fast, frequent train services from Bicester North station and the newly opened Bicester Village station to London, Birmingham, Oxford and key locations in between.  Being a member of Bicester Vision enables us to build a close understanding of the needs of local businesses and helps us to shape our future growth strategy.”

Stephen Barker, Chiltern Railways
2016-12-07T09:04:34+00:00
“Chiltern Railways provides fast, frequent train services from Bicester North station and the newly opened Bicester Village station to London, Birmingham, Oxford and key locations in between.  Being a member of Bicester Vision enables us to build a close understanding of the needs of local businesses and helps us to shape our future growth strategy.”Stephen Barker, Chiltern Railways

We have a profound interest in the progress of the Town

“The Bicester Chamber of Commerce and Bicester Vision have a profound interest in the progress of the Town and understand that in some circumstances the continual increase in the numbers of houses and businesses will cause disquiet, to individuals and existing business alike. Change is always with us, and both the “Chamber” and “Vision” endeavour to keep the standards from the past while facing, and working, with the challenges of the future.”

Peter Cox, Chairman of Bicester Chamber
2016-12-07T09:07:17+00:00
“The Bicester Chamber of Commerce and Bicester Vision have a profound interest in the progress of the Town and understand that in some circumstances the continual increase in the numbers of houses and businesses will cause disquiet, to individuals and existing business alike. Change is always with us, and both the “Chamber” and “Vision” endeavour to keep the standards from the past while facing, and working, with the challenges of the future.”Peter Cox, Chairman of Bicester Chamber

The primary objective for Bicester Vision is to provide opportunities for job creation

"The primary objective for Bicester Vision is to provide opportunities for job creation and this supports a key commitment within our Local Plan to deliver employment in line with housing. As a designated Garden Town, Bicester is expanding at the pace so it is essential to attract the inward investment and businesses who will be vital to this success. Through our membership with Bicester Vision, we can work with partners and existing businesses to access to additional channels, resources and innovative ideas to help us to achieve our goal as a district of opportunity and employment."

Karen Curtin, Commercial Director (Bicester) , Cherwell District Council
2016-12-07T09:10:34+00:00
"The primary objective for Bicester Vision is to provide opportunities for job creation and this supports a key commitment within our Local Plan to deliver employment in line with housing. As a designated Garden Town, Bicester is expanding at the pace so it is essential to attract the inward investment and businesses who will be vital to this success. Through our membership with Bicester Vision, we can work with partners and existing businesses to access to additional channels, resources and innovative ideas to help us to achieve our goal as a district of opportunity and employment."Karen Curtin, Commercial Director (Bicester) , Cherwell District Council

The County Council is a key partner in delivering infrastructure for housing and employment growth in Bicester

"The County Council is a key partner in delivering infrastructure for housing and employment growth in Bicester.  Essential to that is the close working across all tiers of government and the private sector to enable all Bicester businesses to prosper and create job opportunities for the community.  The Council has been a founding member and has seen the work of the partnership play an active role in shaping a flourishing Bicester."

Lisa Michelson, Locality Manager , Oxfordshire County Council
2016-12-07T09:30:32+00:00
"The County Council is a key partner in delivering infrastructure for housing and employment growth in Bicester.  Essential to that is the close working across all tiers of government and the private sector to enable all Bicester businesses to prosper and create job opportunities for the community.  The Council has been a founding member and has seen the work of the partnership play an active role in shaping a flourishing Bicester."Lisa Michelson, Locality Manager , Oxfordshire County Council

Bicester Town Council has been part of Bicester Vision since its inception

"Bicester Town Council has been part of Bicester Vision since its inception and are pleased to be able to work alongside the  business community and all tiers of local government to make Bicester the ‘go to’ place for business opportunity."

Sue Mackrell, Bicester Town Council
2016-12-07T09:44:43+00:00
"Bicester Town Council has been part of Bicester Vision since its inception and are pleased to be able to work alongside the  business community and all tiers of local government to make Bicester the ‘go to’ place for business opportunity."Sue Mackrell, Bicester Town Council

Through our work with Bicester Vision we are able identify the development needs of the town

“Ziran Land and its predecessor Stockdale Land has found that working closely with the business community of Bicester has enabled us to successfully develop Pioneer Square Shopping Centre and now to develop Franklin House, which was completed in 2016.  The growth of Bicester enables us, through our work with Bicester Vision, to identify the business, retail and leisure development needs of the town and to work closely with the business community to provide these.”

John Liggins, Managing Director, Ziran Land Limited
2016-12-07T09:47:00+00:00
“Ziran Land and its predecessor Stockdale Land has found that working closely with the business community of Bicester has enabled us to successfully develop Pioneer Square Shopping Centre and now to develop Franklin House...”

Bicester Vision is an effective way for interested parties to collaborate

"Bicester Vision is an effective way for interested parties to collaborate. We have recently worked with Lisa Rawlings at Banbury and Bicester College as being an industry partner for Bicester Technology studio school and supporting them on the curriculum, equipment specification, and funding. As well as facilitating other 3rd Party Logistics firms like DHL to be involved, Solar panel contact via the Low Carbon Hub to support on the building design for sustainable construction."

Steve Thornton, Director UK Logistics & Supply Chain, BRITA UK
2016-12-07T09:49:31+00:00
"Bicester Vision is an effective way for interested parties to collaborate. We have recently worked with Lisa Rawlings at Banbury and Bicester College as being an industry partner for Bicester Technology studio school and supporting them on the curriculum, equipment specification, and funding. As well as facilitating other 3rd Party Logistics firms like DHL to be involved, Solar panel contact via the Low Carbon Hub to support on the building design for sustainable construction."Steve Thornton, Director UK Logistics & Supply Chain, BRITA UK