For all the lack of detail, from a very early stage it was apparent that Doric Properties intended to completely rebuild Botley’s West Way shopping centre — it was and remains a question of how much of the area at the bottom of Cumnor Hill would go.


After the exhibitions last week we now have a much clearer idea about what the company has in mind.

The size of the proposed supermarket, covering 50,000 sq feet, together with a six screen Cineworld cinema has taken many by surprise.

It is still early days — with many hopeful that the Elms Parade shops might be retained. But those pressing for small independent shops now know the Botley shopping centre would be dominated by a giant supermarket, of the kind found elsewhere along the city’s ring road. One disappointing feature of the response to the scheme, however, is the wide and instant opposition to the prospect of student accommodation in Botley for 100 postgraduates and 500 undergraduates. If student accommodation is not to be built on or near green spaces, student developments should be included in major schemes of this kind.
But these days it seems many residents do not want students in private accommodation, complaining of student ghettos, or as part of new developments either.

It is depressing that in our city students are increasingly being only associated with rowdiness and inconvenience.