Naomi Herring keeps abreast of developments in the historic, but rapidly expanding market town of Bicester.

Announced as the UK’s next Garden City, the days of Bicester being a small market town are long gone.

Nestled in the Cherwell countryside, the town is undergoing a major transformation as it becomes a pioneer for green spaces, housing and good transport links.

Over the coming years Bicester will be at the forefront of developments, delivering a number of firsts including the UK’s first eco-town and the UK’s largest self-build community.

But it is not just housing, the town’s popular shopping outlet Bicester Village will be expanding, a new Bicester Office Park is to provide business space and the new rail line linking Bicester, Oxford and London will create the first new link between two major cities for 100 years.

It is an exciting time for the town as the face of Bicester is set to dramatically change over the next few years.

ECO TOWN

The North West Bicester eco-town was given Government backing in 2009 and will see 6,000 sustainable homes built over a 20-30 year period, with the first phase of 393 homes and primary school under-way. The town will encourage residents to live a more sustainable life with a number of designs such as generous cycle provisions to encourage more people to take to their bikes.

The eco-town has also dedicated 40 per cent green open spaces to the site including allotments, community orchards and communal herb boxes bring Bicester into a modern world of green-living.

Across town 450 homes have also been created at Kingsmere, on farmland off of Middleton Stoney Road and Oxford Road, with plans to take this number up to 1,593.

BICESTER SELF-BUILD GRAVEN HILL

Attracting national television press, the former MoD site at Graven Hill is in the pipeline for television stardom. Construction on the 1,900 self build homes is planned to start later this year and television presenter Kevin McCloud will follow the first ten families taking on the build challenge. The self-build community will give residents the chance to build their own dream homes varying from kit homes to custom build projects designed by the owner.

TRANSPORT AND TOURISM

As a key destination for many tourists, especially those eager to sniff out a bargain at designer outlet Bicester Village, the town boasts major upcoming transport benefits. Bicester Town station is currently undergoing a major facelift as part of Chiltern Railways’ £130m project connecting Oxford to London.

The developers broke ground at the station in December and the steel frames are now in place. The new station will have two new platforms, a rebuilt car park and designated entrance and exit for Bicester Village.

The village has been open for nearly two decades and attracts around six million visitor to the town each year.

Also a stone’s through from the station is the historic town centre of independent shops and national chains.

The town centre is in the midst of a £70m regeneration that brought Sainsbury’s superstore, a cinema, shops and restaurant in summer 2013. With the final piece of the puzzle, a community building housing a Travelodge, library, office space and retail, under construction currently.

HISTORY

Bicester’s name evolved from a local Saxon warlord “Boerna” and “ceaster” meaning “fort of the warriors”.

Around 200 residents were recorded to live in Bicester in the Domesday Book in 1086. Today’s population sits around 30,000 and is expected to expand to 50,000 over the next 20 years.

The town has had long-standing garrison links since the RAF stationed at Upper Heyford and Bicester during WW1.

The 1940s saw the Bicester depot built in readiness for the D-Day landings and welcomed the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and the Royal Pioneer Corps into the town.