BULLDOZERS will roll into Bicester on Monday to start work on the long-awaited £70m town centre redevelopment.

Two of the main car parks will close at midnight on Sunday, to make way for the construction of a supermarket, shops, cinema, multi-storey car park and bus interchange.

Hoardings are in the process of going up around the site. Demolition and other work will start soon, with construction work expected to begin in the spring.

The development is scheduled to be completed by the summer next year.

The project, which will create about 600 new jobs, including 200 during the building phase, has taken seven years to get to this stage.

Sainsbury’s project manager Paul Tyler said: “We are delighted to now be at a stage where we can start construction and everyone can see for themselves that Bicester’s new town centre facilities are really going to be built.

“While there will obviously be some disruption during construction, we will be doing everything possible to minimise this.”

On Monday, buses will move to temporary stops in Market Square, in the short-term free parking bays, except the X5 Oxford to Cambridge service, which will stop in North Street.

Staff from the bus operators will be on hand on Monday to help people. Motorists will be redirected to car parks in Victoria Road and the long-stay Cattle Market.

Twelve extra disabled spaces have been created across Market Square, Chapel Brook, Claremont, Victoria Road and Franklins Yard car parks to replace the 20 spaces lost with the closure of Crown Walk and Bure Place car parks.

Shop mobility and the Pop In Centre will move to unit two in Crown Walk.

Two dedicated Shopmobility spaces will be provided in Market Square, and all users will be told about the changes.

Because the new office is in a pedestrianised area, manager Carol Bucknell warned users to book ahead if they needed a wheelchair or scooter brought to them.

Residents are being urged to continue to support traders during the disruption.

Ben Jackson, chairman of Bicester Chamber of Commerce, said: “As work gets under way on this essential and exciting development of Bicester town centre we urge residents to continue to support the existing shops, restaurants and businesses.

“They are just as much a key part of Bicester future as the likely new ones."

  • For more information, see cherwell.gov.uk or call Sainsbury’s community info on 0845 6048853.