Residents split over revamp of shopping centre (From Oxford Mail)

Residents split over revamp of shopping centre

7:00pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News

HUNDREDS of people packed into an exhibition about a multi-million pound scheme to regenerate the centre of Botley.

The public consultation on Saturday at Botley’s Seacourt Hall was attended by 530 people, after nearly 800 visited on Thursday.

The plans are for a multi-million pound scheme to redevelop Botley shopping centre in West Way, and include a multi-screen cinema and supermarket, together with new GP and dentist surgeries. Botley Library and Botley Baptist Church would be demolished and replaced.

Simon Hillcox, director of developer Doric Properties, described the response to the consultation as “fantastic”.

But reaction from the public was mixed.

Ceri Lloyd, 49, from West Way, said: “It looks quite exciting if they actually come through with what they have promised. It could do with a bit of tarting up.”

Hannah Boschen, 32, of Pinnocks Way, added: “I think it needs doing up. It’s showing signs of getting a bit rundown, though I quite like how it’s laid out at the moment.”

But Kevin Smith, 51, of Lime Road, Botley, admitted he was “a little nervous”. He said: “It seems like quite a big change for the area.”