1,500 new homes are to be delivered by Wates Developments and Redrow Homes in Wretchwick Green, Bicester. Cherwell District Council’s Planning Committee granted approval to the revised planning application, which includes housing of dwelling types, sizes and tenures to meet the range of local needs. “This is a great example
Kingsmere, Countryside Properties (Bicester) Limited’s development in Bicester, will be welcoming a first-class line up of retailers to its Village Centre in Spring 2019. Brands and retailers which have secured units at the commercial centre include Mid-Counties Co-op, Starfish (Fish and Chips), Domino’s Pizza, Haart Estate agents, Bicester Hairdressers and
The £3.5 million community facility in Bicester, Oxfordshire, has officially opened. The Kingsmere Community Centre was built by Deeley Construction on behalf of site owners, Countryside Properties; the project was managed by Buro Four, designed by Robothams and mechanical and electrical engineering (M&E) services were provided by Building Services Design
1,500 new homes are to be delivered by Wates Developments and Redrow Homes in Wretchwick Green, Bicester. Cherwell District Council’s Planning Committee granted approval to the revised planning application, which includes housing of dwelling types, sizes and tenures to meet the range of local needs. “This is a great example of how large-scale developments can be brought forward successfully and sympathetically which local people will be proud of for years to come,” said a spokesperson for Wates Developments and Redrow Homes. “While we have changed significant aspects of the masterplan over time, the core ethos for the site has remained in place. We want to create a great place to live and work, with a strong identity of its own, but with equally strong links to Bicester and the surrounding area. Our aim now is to continue to work positively with all stakeholders allowing development to be brought forward swiftly and homes to be built to meet the urgent local need,” the spokesperson added. A key part of the ‘garden town’ plan for the area, the project ensures the amount of open space extends to 71.64 hectares, which equates to over 50% of the overall site. Over four hectares of sports pitches are also provided in one location. Adjacent to the shops and community facility, a new primary school is planned. Meanwhile, approximately eight play areas will be provided across the site including a destination play area which has been designed to be accessible to existing local residents, as well as new ones. In addition, up to 7 hectares of employment land provision has been included, which could provide around 750 high quality local jobs and a vibrant mix of uses within the scheme, together with creating a significant number of jobs through the development phase. The project team consulted with Historic England to redesign the area around the medieval village to the west of the site in order to better respect its setting.
Kingsmere, Countryside Properties (Bicester) Limited’s development in Bicester, will be welcoming a first-class line up of retailers to its Village Centre in Spring 2019. Brands and retailers which have secured units at the commercial centre include Mid-Counties Co-op, Starfish (Fish and Chips), Domino’s Pizza, Haart Estate agents, Bicester Hairdressers and Busy Bees Nursery. “The Village Centre at Kingsmere has a high quality, contemporary design, which will enhance the area and create a place for the local community to shop, eat and meet. The prominence, accessibility and car parking that are already included made it easy for us to find interested parties who will do very well from being centrally located in Kingsmere,” said Ed Sutton, Managing Director of LSP Developments. The Village Centre is situated on Whitelands Way, where the commercial units are currently under construction, adjacent to the new Community and Youth Centres, which were recently handed over to Cherwell District Council and will officially open this September. “We have taken great care to design a Village Centre that will serve as the ‘heart of Kingsmere’, and we are delighted there will be such a tremendous line up of occupants for the use of our residents and the wider community. For a project of this scale, providing first-class amenities and a central point for residents to come together is crucial to its long-term success and vital to ensure the new community can flourish,” commented Andrew Carrington, Director of Countryside Properties (Bicester) Limited. “The Village Centre sits centrally within Kingsmere, alongside the community and youth centres and St Edburg’s primary school. The selection of retailers will ensure that people can not only stock up on their daily essentials but also spend time socialising, relaxing and making the most of the new facilities and surroundings,” he continued. Kingsmere is served by excellent transport connections and the development is home to a selection of house styles which have proved hugely popular for a range of home buyers.
The £3.5 million community facility in Bicester, Oxfordshire, has officially opened. The Kingsmere Community Centre was built by Deeley Construction on behalf of site owners, Countryside Properties; the project was managed by Buro Four, designed by Robothams and mechanical and electrical engineering (M&E) services were provided by Building Services Design (BSD). “We developed an M&E design that would allow for the building to be used for multiple purposes,” said Joel Sawyer, director at BSD. “This is a building designed to perform different roles for different members of the community so we needed to be flexible with our strategy, while ensuring that we created a functional, contemporary space that was sustainable and long-lasting.” Features include offices spaces, a kitchen, youth centre, activity hall and meeting rooms. The main hall is fitted with a roof mounted natural ventilation strategy, as it lacks openable windows. This solution has saved a lot of money when compared to installing air conditioning units. “The ventilation turrets also have an internal solar powered fan, providing additional ventilation during sunnier conditions, boosting air flow and boasting a zero noise level,” added Joel. “We provided a robust design scheme for the youth centre so that it could withstand considerable use over a longer period of time. The radiators have been covered and we used a more malleable material – mild steel pipework – rather than copper to allow them to withstand any potential impact. The lighting is also impact resistant, as are the fire alarm call points. PV panels were also fitted to the roof to allow for electricity independence,” said Joel. Matthew Keegans, senior project manager at Buro Four, also commented on the project: “Community and place making are essential and we are very passionate about getting right within all of our projects. Working with the BSD team, we were able to incorporate innovative solutions to provide a future proofed and sustainable community hub on time and budget.”
