OXFORD EMPLOYMENT LAND STUDY APPENDICES March 2006

Development Site: Reference Area (ha)
WESTGATE SHOPPING CENTRE, OXFORD
CITY CENTRE
DS. 85
3.03
Criteria Comment Score
(out of 5)
Current Use Covered shopping mall and multi-storey car park
Strategic Access
Within City Centre 2-3km from Botley Interchange (A420) 2
Local Road Access
Public Transport Access
Access to services &
labour
Proximity to incompatible
uses
Site characteristics
Development constraints
General attractiveness
Planning Factors
Suitability for Designated
Uses
[Scoring: 5 = best, 1 = worst]
City Centre location with restricted road access, such as one-way 2
system and parking restrictions. The South of the site is more easily
accessible off Thames Street.
Within City Centre location, with full range of bus routes of varying 5
frequencies available
Within close proximity to City Centre with full range of services, as 4
well as residential areas
Surrounded by range of City Centre and other employment uses, 5
including B1
Large site, sloping to south; traversed by Castle Street 3
Would have to form part of major shopping centre development.
Need to retain current parking provision and provide high quality bus
stopping facility.
High-profile location within City Centre, but overall appearance
requires improvement. Number of vacant units within detracts from
general quality of environment
Development Site primarily for retail but with all following
complementary uses - residential, A3 and limited A2/B1(a) office
uses. Primary shopping frontage. Surrounded by Conservation Area
Prominent city centre location but any office element appears unlikely in current
proposals for purely retail and housing scheme
TOTAL SCORE: 27
2
3
1