Readers have been commenting on plans to partially demolish the Clarendon shopping centre in Oxford.

A planning application to partly demolish the centre on Cornmarket has now been validated and received by Oxford City Council.

The application seeks to knock down the 1980s shopping centre, and replace it with new buildings to provide retail and office spaces.

It also seeks to create a space for student accommodation, and a research and development centre.

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The new shopping centre, if approved, would also give the public access to a rooftop, where cafes and restaurants would be located.

In the middle of the shopping centre, a new public square, decked out with pedestrian and cycle links, would be created providing access to Frewin Court.

This is not the first time the Clarendon Centre has been demolished - the original building, that had existed from the 19th century, was knocked down in 1954.

OXFORD MAIL READER: “Let me guess. Apartments will be built.

“The city centre stopped being useful to the people of Oxford a long time ago.”

DAVE SMITH: “Surprised they didn’t say anything about putting a cycle lane through it because students and cyclists seem to be the only people who matter in Oxford these days.”

OXFORD MAIL READER: “In a few years there will only be student accommodation and fast foot outlets, restaurants and coffee shops in the city centre.

“There is nowhere for normal folk and people who don’t have cars to shop! Gone are Littlewoods cafe and BHS for a cheap lunch, it’s all upper class, expensive restaurants or burger/kebab junk.”

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OXFORD MAIL READER: “There will be commercial science labs in the new development, so some employment in amongst residential and catering units.

“There are still plenty of cheap-ish places to eat in the city centre - Brown’s in the Covered Market, Social in the Westgate and two cafes in John Lewis being examples. I don’t have a car and visit the city centre all the time - in many ways it’s easier getting the bus than driving in, so I really don’t understand your car comment.”

OXFORD MAIL READER: “There is plenty of parking for those who get up early and can’t be bothered to take public transport. Getting there early also means missing the congestion caused by many of the other fools who can’t be bothered to take the bus or shop local.”

OXFORD MAIL READER: “I’m old enough to remember the Woolworth’s shop that used to be there. Like to see that come back. Everyday items at reasonable prices, and a cafe upstairs. Anybody else remember Woolworth’s?”

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OXFORD MAIL READER: "'It also seeks to create a space for student accommodation': - yes that’s right let’s look after the little darlings who make a coffee last all day in the pub and hog a table for their laptop. Let them live bang smack in the middle of town so they hardly have to get out of their beds!”

OXFORD MAIL READER: “The place is pretty empty at the moment so not opposed to it being redeveloped.

“There is more of a demand for restaurant and casual dining than retail. Given the number of empty units in the Westgate, I would guess it is a combination of high rents and the shift to shopping online means there just isn’t that much demand for retail space. However, people still like to eat out and socialise. The student accommodation thing is an issue in all cities as far as I can tell. Obviously with Oxford’s housing crisis, maybe it would have been nice to have some non student accommodation built, but I guess they can build more students accommodation that full apartments.”

OXFORD MAIL READER: “The number of undergraduate students has barely changed, that is true, but the number of postgraduate students has increased enormously.”

OXFORD MAIL READER: “So another Westgate debacle? More cafes that will shut with the energy crisis after a while this council only panders to the university why not just remove the people who actually live in Oxford then they can have the lot.”

OXFORD MAIL READER: “I’m quite happy to drive down the A4074 where car parking is much cheaper.”

OXFORD MAIL READER: ’People bemoan the lack of Woolworths, Littlewoods, BHS. I remember Crawford’s Cafeteria. Thankfully, we still have Brown’s in the Covered Market.”

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