THE company behind a controversial £100m development in Botley has signed an agreement with a construction company.

Doric has signed an agreement with Mace to redevelop the West Way shopping centre. A planning application has been submitted to Vale of White Horse District Council and a decision is due once Doric has submitted an environmental impact assessment.

Doric’s proposals include a large supermarket, a cinema, a hotel, restaurants and cafes, 525 student bedrooms, community spaces, and a Baptist church. Executive chairman of Mace, Stephen Pycroft, said: “We’ve always taken a partnership approach and we’re absolutely delighted to have partnered with Doric Properties to help deliver their proposals which will revitalise Botley.”

Mace has already worked on a number of projects in Oxford, including the refurbishment of the Ashmolean Museum in Beaumont Street and the construction of the Said Business School in Frideswide Square.

The plans for the West Way shopping centre have been surrounded by controversy, with a community group campaigning against the scale of the proposals.

Simon Hillcox, joint owner of Doric Properties, said: “Having seen the breadth and depth of their experience in the Oxford area, it was an extremely easy decision to partner with Mace.

“Their track record of delivering complex schemes on sensitive sites in Oxford, combined with their knowledge and understanding of the student accommodation market, and construction expertise, is exemplary and a strong fit with our proposals.”

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