Westgate revamp 'likely to be scaled down' (From Oxford Mail)

Westgate revamp 'likely to be scaled down'

PLANS for the £330m redevelopment of the Westgate Centre are likely to be scaled down by its new owner, it was claimed last night.

City council leader Bob Price is pleased the Westgate Centre has a new owner

The Crown Estate has confirmed it has exchanged contracts for the purchase of the site from Capital Shopping Centres (CSC).

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said the new owner will use the original designs for the centre’s redevelopment as a basis for its plans, and will steam ahead with a new multi-storey car park and flagship John Lewis store.

But he said it looked likely some elements of the original plans would be removed to make any new development more commercially viable.

He said: “It won’t look exactly the same as the previous plans, but it will have the same elements.

“There’s likely to be less things, rather than more.”

Mr Price said he did not yet know all of the details of the new plans but said the Crown Estate would definitely not be building under ground, as in the previous plan.

He also revealed there was a possibility Hennes clothing store, also known as H&M, could move in, and shops already trading in the city centre such as Boots and WH Smith, would be given the chance to expand within the new Westgate.

Last month the Oxford Mail revealed the Crown Estate had been in talks with CSC about buying its 85 per cent stake in the centre for a rumoured £57m, although no figure for the sale has been released.

CSC worked with the city council for more than a decade to deliver a new centre, but development halted when the recession started to bite.

The Crown Estate does not rely on investors and is an independent organisation directly answerable to Parliament. Its surplus revenue is paid each year to the Treasury.

Mr Price, who admitted he was in the dark about the takeover until a week ago, said: “We’re very pleased the Crown Estate has decided to make this investment. In financial terms they’re as secure as any operation can be.

“I suspect we’re looking at about this time next year before the planning application goes in.

“That will wend its way through the system, probably not before summer or autumn 2011, and work could begin as early as the following year.”

Last night shoppers and traders cautiously welcomed the takeover.

Graham Jones, of the Rescue Oxford commercial pressure group, said: “A new developer will give us a chance to address the issues we had with the previous plans.”

But Natasha Irvin, 22, whose father John Irvin has run John’s Discount Card outside the Westgate for more than 20 years, said she is not sure how it will affect the family business.

She added: “If they develop our spot I’m not sure whether they’ll offer us another one.”

Crown Estate spokesman James Cooksey, said they were excited about improving the retail mix in Oxford.

He added: “Strong and productive relationships with Oxford City Council, other key stakeholders and retailers will be central to our long-term approach.”

awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk