£100m gateway scheme for city

6:47pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

Comments (4)   Have your say »

An ambitious £100m scheme to redevelop Frideswide Square outside Oxford's railway station is being unveiled tomorrow.

Officials at Christ Church, which owns several sites in the area, want to create a new gateway to the city, featuring a mix of hotels, shops, restaurants and housing.

The scheme would bring about the redesign of the much-criticised square, which has become the city centre's most notorious traffic bottleneck.

But the scheme will also include land between Hythe Bridge Street and Park End Street, stretching down to Mill Street and the River Hotel next to the River Thames in Botley Road.

If the scheme wins planning approval, the Oxford University college hopes work on the two-year project would start in 2011.

The redevelopment, along with the new Westgate Centre, stands to become one of the centre pieces in the wider plan to regenerate Oxford's West End.

Andrew Wilkins, managing director of Spring, the company taking charge of the scheme, said: "We are keen to discuss plans with the local community, share ideas and gather constructive feedback on proposals to ensure that the plans finally submitted benefit all involved."

James Lawrie, treasurer of Christ Church, which owns all the sites involved, said: "We are keen to see an inclusive regeneration plan for this part of Oxford. It's an opportunity to build on the city's rich heritage and culture and create this first substantial phase of the exciting West End renaissance proj- ect."

There are three main parcels of land:

• The triangular block between Hythe Bridge Street and Park End Street, currently housing businesses including the Royal Oxford Hotel, Kwik Fit and Staples stationery store. A major new hotel is planned.

• The buildings opposite the Said Business School. The listed Jam Factory would be kept, with new flats and shops.

• Land running from the River Thames to Mill Street and from Mill Street to the railway line, currently the Westgate Hotel. The River Hotel would be kept.

Mr Wilkins said Fridewide Square needed a fundamental redesign, and a steering group involving council officers was investigating opt- ions. He added: "This vision for Frideswide Square is not just about new buildings, but about how the square functions and operates, and how people travel through this part of Oxford."

• Meanwhile, Ruskin College is selling its headquarters in Walton Street to Exeter College in a £12m deal to fund redevelopment of its Headington campus. Ruskin will retain a presence in Walton Street, leasing back a small part of the building to continue its outreach and educational work in the city cent.

Exeter plans to revamp the historic building to provide teaching and research space, and student rooms.