Westgate Shopping Centre, Oxford

Westgate Shopping Centre (locally known as Westgate) is a shopping centre in central Oxford, England. It is located at the west end of Queen Street, where the west gate of the city of Oxford used to be situated. A car park, including a multistory section, is attached to the shopping centre, with access from Oxpens Road. Plans to expand the shopping centre - tripling it in size - are well underway, with construction planned to start January 2009.

The current westgate:

Bonn Square is close to the main entrance and Oxford Castle is to the north-west.

Planning approval

In September 2004, The Westgate Partnership published its Masterplan for the Westgate area of Oxford. This set out a strategy to provide improved and extended retail space as part of a wider regeneration of the Westgate area to ensure any new development is integrated into the surrounding area and takes into account the city’s history.

This was endorsed by the City and County Councils in October 2004. Following this, the Partnership worked on issues raised during the consultation period and in August 2005, published a Response to Consultation, which incorporated work undertaken with the Transport Working Group.

Since then, work has been undertaken on the detailed design in consultation with local stakeholders, including the local community and special interest groups. A detailed planning application was submitted on 13 June 2006.

On 9 March, 2007 Capital Shopping Centres received approval for the extension and the partial redevelopment of the existing Westgate Shopping Centre.

Redevelopment features

The mixed use scheme to regenerate the Westgate area includes:

• A shopping area of approximately 750,000 sq ft (69,675 sq m), (including the existing centre) with 90 new shops, bars, restaurants and cafes, including a John Lewis department store and a defined area for smaller independent retailers

• Facilities include Shopmobility, toilets, baby care, a crèche and a children’s play area

• 127 new city centre apartments, 50% of which will be affordable homes

• A total refurbishment of the existing Westgate Centre

• A prominent new three storey glazed entrance for Oxford’s County Library

• A roof-top garden , providing a local habitat for wildlife

• Landscaping strategy for the streets and green spaces around the development,including enhancements to the existing Paradise Square and the area alongside Castle MillStream

• Designed to achieve “Very Good” ratings for BREEAM for Retail and EcoHomes, with proposalsto provide approximately on-site renewables, rainwater collection, green roofs andnaturally ventilated malls

• Over 2,000 jobs will be created when the new retail offer opens, increasing the numberemployed in the centre to around 3,300. In addition, there will be around 2,000 jobs duringconstruction. The Westgate Partnership has said it will support a programme of skills training in conjunction with the City Council, local colleges and job centres

• Accessibility for all including provision for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and taxis

• A new 1,335 space multi-storey car park

• A significant investment in delivering improved public transport

Expansion criticism

In 2008, a local campaign group called Oxford Against Westgate Expansion was set up to oppose the redevelopment. The campaigners are highly critical of the consultation process that led to the approval of the plans, and point out that the redevelopment would create more traffic and air pollution, demolish the Abbey Place sheltered housing complex and chop down 40 mature trees. An underground multistorey car park is planned which campaigners say may increase flooding in Oxford due to its location on the flood plain. They also criticise the building's design, saying it would be highly inefficient and contribute to climate change.

To the left is where the new facilities will be built (RED) as opposed to the current facility (PINK):

See also

* St Ebbes

External links

* [http://www.westgateoxford.co.uk The Westgate Partnership]
* [http://www.oxfordcity.co.uk/shops/westgate/ Westgate Shopping Centre, Oxford]
* [http://westgatewatch.wordpress.com/ Westgate Watch Blog]
* [http://westgatewatch.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/whats_wrong_with_westgate.pdf/ What's Wrong With The Westgate Expansion?]
* [http://www.theoxfordtimes.net/search/display.var.1881646.0.westgate_inquiry_under_way.php Westgate expansion plans]