DEVELOPERS wanting to transform Cowley’s Templars Square Shopping Centre said they hope their plans will spur more development in the area.

NewRiver Retail unveiled its multi-million pound scheme to revamp the centre to residents across the city for the first time yesterday.

It revealed work to overhaul the shopping centre, which is expected to take about five years to complete, could begin as early as next year.

NewRiver Retail director Charles Spooner said: “I hope this will be a catalyst to lift the area. I hope something like this will rekindle the regeneration of Cowley.

“Some of the other areas of Oxford have had quite a lot of investment and Cowley really hasn’t and this should really help.

“I think people genuinely want to see investment in the area. Cowley is going to get better and better.”

But residents have raised concerns the plans could increase congestion nearby and lead to parking problems after proposals to demolish the centre’s 470-space Castle car park.

Chairman of Middle Temple Cowley Residents’ Action Group Martin Tasker said parking in nearby Boswell Road and Bailey Road was already a “nightmare”.

He added: “People are parking wherever they can because there are limited spaces available. All of the residential roads are full of cars.

“I even had someone park right outside my house this week, so goodness knows what will happen when they get rid of Castle car park. The congestion is going to be terrible.”

Mother-of-three Teresa Heapy, of Florence Park, said the plans were also a “big concern” for everyone in the community. The author added: “We tend to cycle or walk anywhere in Cowley to avoid the existing congestion because it’s already awful.

“It’s going to mean that people will start parking anywhere and everywhere. I’m concerned that Florence Park is going to be ruined by lots of cars. It would be a real shame because it’s a lovely, relatively quiet area.”

NewRiver Retail, which has been the leasehold owners of the centre since December 2012, plans to work with architects Corstorphine and Wright, as well as landscape architects Macgregor Smith, to revamp the shopping centre.

A planning application is expected to be submitted to Oxford City Council later this year after a further public exhibition of plans next month and a consultation.

Proposals include building 98 flats on the current site of the Castle car park, refurbishing its Barns Road and Knights Road car parks, refurbishing entrances and creating pedestrian walkways across Between Towns Road to connect with Templars Shopping Park.

Mr Spooner confirmed NewRiver Retail bought the former Nelson pub about three months ago and hopes to transform it into a hotel, with designated parking for guests only, as well as an additional housing block.

Oxford Mail:

  • An artist’s impression of the new Templars Square

City councillor for Cowley David Henwood said he was “excited” about the investment but was concerned redevelopment plans would not benefit residents already living nearby.

He added: “There does not seem to be something for people that live here already. I have heard that it’s a £50m investment. It’s not clear at this point what the percentage of social housing would be. We are very concerned where people would park. We would want to campaign for adequate parking for users of Templars Square, the hotel and people that are going to live in Cowley.”

Residents can view development proposals at the shopping centre between 10am and 4pm today, with councillors on hand.