10:00am Thursday 29th July 2010
SAINSBURY’S has confirmed the first phase of work to redevelop Bicester town centre will start on August 16.
A failure to agree on legal documents – which had delayed the project for months — has now been resolved by all parties.
The plans will allow the River Bure to be redirected from one side of Manorsfield Road and a roundabout built at the junction with Hanover Gardens. The £70m scheme is a joint project between Sainsbury’s and Cherwell District Council, and was due to start in January.
Norman Bolster, the council’s executive member for economic development and estates, said: “It has been a long journey to get us to the point where work will begin.
“At last it will be obvious that this project is very much alive and will be delivered.”
Phase one works will take about eight months. They include building bus laybys and improvements to Manorsfield Road.
A completion date for the development has not been finalised, but it will miss the original Christmas 2011 opening.
Ben Littman, Sainsbury’s development surveyor, said: “We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the local community in advance for their patience over the coming months.”
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/trade_directory/