A major developer has hit back at a campaign group which opposes its plans, arguing the group’s press release included false and inaccurate claims.

Value Retail, who own Bicester Village, have denounced the claims made in a recent ‘awareness raising’ press release written by a campaign group, stating the document “contains a significant number of false, inaccurate and misleading statements.”

In the press release, Robert Parkinson, from Bicester, is putting the case for why he, and other householders in the town, oppose Value Retail’s plans to build a multi-storey car and cycle hub on Oxford Road Sports Ground.

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He said: “Objectors say that the car park will block the protected view across the fields to the church tower and conservation area, and that the public spaces and properties nearby will have their sunlight completely blocked by the 70-foot-high multi-storey car park looming above them.”

Quoted in the press release, Pam and John Roberts, from Bicester, said; ‘The protected view from Oxford Road across the fields to the historic centre and tower of St Edburg’s church will be obliterated by the mass of the multi-storey car park.

“The view is the last vestige of the setting of the conservation area.”

In response, a Value Retail spokesperson said: “A key principle of the landscape proposals is to enhance and open up views from within the new public park towards the church tower and conservation area.

“Importantly, these views will be genuinely publicly accessible unlike existing views which are glimpsed at best and with dilapidated sports club buildings and flood lights in the foreground.”

Value Retail also plan to build a new green space as part of their application, which will sit next to the proposed car and cycle hub.

The spokesperson added: “St Edburg’s Park will receive daylight at all daytime hours. Due to the height of the car and cycle hub, and the extent of the new park and the proposed landscaped buffer, it is anticipated that the majority of the park will also receive direct sunlight during sunlight hours throughout the year.

“Only a small proportion of the open and useable space will be in shade at certain times of the year. “Residential properties are further away and will not be affected.”

The press released also shared people’s concerns that this new development would increase pollution and congestion in Bicester.

The Value Retail spokesperson responded: “The Proposed Development will not provide any additional car parking availability for Bicester Village and as a consequence will not attract any additional car movements.

“Instead, the proposed development is planned to replace 2,200 off-site car parking spaces that are being lost and to be able to manage guest arrival and departure more efficiently through concentrating car parking at a single location.”

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1