SHOPPERS yesterday welcomed plans for Oxford’s new Westgate Centre and said the overhaul was long overdue.

Dozens of people had their first glimpse of the £400m scheme at the launch of a series of public consultation events.

The project, which will include a new John Lewis department store, was welcomed by almost everyone.

Heather Waller, 26, from Divinity Road, Oxford, said: “It looks like it will be an impressive development.

“Oxford has such a lack of decent shops so a new variety can only be a good thing. I often to go to Reading but if they brought in different shops I would shop here more.”

The revamped centre is due to open in 2017 and also looks set to include a new multi-screen cinema and a terraced restaurant area. A 1,100 space car park will replace the 1,090-space Westgate car park.

Pedestrians will be able to walk through the centre 24 hours a day, with paths between St Ebbe’s Street and Castle Street.

Dennis Stukenbroeker, 66, a retired solicitor from Eynsham, said: “The Westgate has got a bit tatty and the car park is probably the ugliest building in Oxford, so it would be an improvement.

“I’m mildly impressed with the proposals but I think if a policy was made to include a certain amount of independent shops I would have more of an incentive to come here.”

The Westgate will more than double in size and have 70 shops, creating 3,400 jobs.

Student Mohamed Nassim, 22, from Copse Lane, Marston, said: “This area of Oxford really needs rejuvenating. The retail side of things is not good at all.

“If a cinema was built here with facilities like at the Kassam Vue then I would definitely come here.”

Thomas Smith, 35, a doctor from Cromwell Close in Marston, said: “The developers will probably need to consider an even bigger car park.

“I also hope they will include toilets and baby-changing facilities.”

The Westgate Alliance, a joint venture between The Crown Estate and Land Securities Group, has signed a 250-year lease deal with the council to upgrade the 40-year-old shopping centre.

Development manager Sara Fuge said it is too early to say whether independent shops would be included.

“It depends what the public wants, that’s why we are running the consultation.”

HAVE A SAY

  • Consultations run every day from 10am to 5.30pm (8pm on Thursday) at the Westgate Consultation Shop in the Westgate Centre until next Friday.
  • From 4pm to 8pm at The Kings Centre, Osney Mead, West Oxford, today; South Oxford Community Centre, Lake Street, South Oxford, on Wednesday; and North Oxford Community Centre, Diamond Place, Summertown, on Thursday.
  • From 1pm to 4pm at the Fusion Arts Centre, Princes Street, East Oxford, on Tuesday.
  • Residents can also view and comment on the plans at the project’s dedicated consultation website at westgateoxfordconsultation.co.uk