£220m Westgate revamp survives last-ditch attacks
An artist’s view of the new Westgate Centre, which was this week given the go-ahead by councillors
Multi-million pound plans for a new Westgate Shopping Centre have been approved despite a last ditch attempt by the Green Party to scupper the scheme. Critics of the new centre claim that it is environmentally unfriendly. The new Westgate Centre will include 90 new shops, bars and restaurants, spread across a vast 750,000 sq ft of floor space, at a cost of £220 million. The plans have gone through a protracted and controversial development phase.
First floated in 1999, the Westgate proposals were even rejected by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at one point. However, the opponents of the massive redevelopment will not concede defeat willingly. Green Councillor Matt Sellwood has slammed the plans for their potentially damaging effect upon Oxford and the environment. He said, “Oxford is a medieval city.
The new plans don’t take into account its infrastructure and proposed changes to traffic routes would make Oxford more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.” Sellwood also claimed that the new shopping centre would cause a rise in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. He said, “The Council has statutory obligations to reduce NO2 emissions.” “Furthermore, the plans would require affordable housing used by many elderly people in Abbey Place to be demolished.
These people would be unfairly relocated.” Sellwood added that one of the Green Party’s main policies was to make sure all new developments derive 20% of their energy from renewable sources, claiming that the Westgate plans mean only 4% of the centre’s energy would be renewable. Sellwood has condemned the developers commitment to sustainability, describing plans to include a rooftop for local wildlife as “just spin”.
All of Sellwood’s claims have been denied by The Westgate Partnership, the developers of the site. A spokesperson said that 12% of the new centre’s energy would come from renewable sources and that the plans include 127 new affordable city centre homes. The spokesperson said, “Our proposals undoubtedly have the ability to revitalise Oxford City Centre as a whole and to generate significant further private sector investment.” The plans will now be passed to the Government for approval.
2nd Nov 2006