Major new retail scheme planned for Bicester
Suzanne Lovell
Developer U+I is working with Banbury-based counterpart, Adalta Real, and Bicester Sports Association (BSA) on plans for up to 22, 355 sq m of shops and 2,955 sq m of food and beverage units at BSA’s sports field in Oxford Road, close to both the Bicester Village development and the centre of the town.
The new scheme aims to persuade the fast-growing population of Bicester to shop there, rather than drive elsewhere. Around 75 per cent currently use nearby towns such as Oxford, Banbury and Milton Keynes.
The current Bicester town centre cannot meet the needs of many high street retailers but several have shown interest in the proposed scheme. The developers envisage a seamless flow of shoppers from the town centre to the new scheme and there will be several new cycle and pedestrian access routes planned including to neighbouring Pingle Field.
The 4.1-hectare site is one of two owned by BSA and selling the land will help the association develop its site at Chesterton into a state-of-the-art sports hub – six times the size of the Oxford Road site - to protect its long term future.
James Hill of Adalta Real, said: “We are fully committed to addressing the existing retail deficiencies in Bicester and have found the right site on which to deliver this exciting new scheme.
“The new development would enable the people of Bicester to access the high street retailers that they want locally, whilst also supporting local businesses by linking the new development with the town centre and encouraging shoppers at Bicester Village to visit other parts of the town.
“Many well-known and popular high street retailers have expressed early interest in the proposals and we’re confident that Bicester residents would be delighted if they were to come to the town.”
More details of the proposals for both Oxford Road and Chesterton will be announced in early 2018.
* Property communications firm Development Communications, members of our First Tuesday Club and part of the Greater Thames Valley team at MIPIM UK this year, is providing communications support for the proposals.
Source: Thames Valley Property No 96 (tvproperty.co.uk)
To get the Thames Valley Property free weekly newsletter, the Thames Tap, simply sign up here.
Photo by Artificial Photography on Unsplash