A controversial planning application has been recommended for approval despite several concerns from major governing bodies.

The application by Value Retail, the owners of Bicester Village, received a total of 126 objection letters from the public along with objections from The Environment Agency (EA), Bicester Town Council (BTC), Cherwell District Council (CDC) Conservation and Sport England.

There is also a petition which has 3,502 signatures objecting to the proposal, although the call to stop any development has been going on prior to the current application.

READ MORE: Victoria Prentis to spend an evening in Bicester pub talking politics

The application seeks to redevelop land north and south of Pingle Drive in Bicester, to provide a new public park, a car and cycle hub with electric vehicle charging and additional guest services, retail and food and beverage floorspace with associated access, parking, drainage and landscaping.

The EA objected on the grounds of flood risk, inadequate flood risk assessment and insufficient ecological assessment and risk to nature conservation.

In CDC’s agenda report, prepared for an upcoming planning meeting, it states: “The Environment Agency has objected to the scheme on three grounds.

“Objection one raises concerns over the proposed bridge culvert, which would obstruct flood flows, therefore increasing the flooding to nearby land.

“The second objection from the Environment Agency is that the flood risk assessment submitted with the application is not acceptable.

“And thirdly, as the site is located within flood zones 2 and 3, a sequential test is required.”

The EA did state however that it is working with Value Retail and considers these concerns resolvable.

Sport England objected to the application on the basis that it will result in the loss of playing fields, until arrangements are confirmed on the replacement provision.

CDC Conservation objected too, stating the proposal will lead to less than substantial harm to the setting of the conservation area and listed church.

Bicester Town Council does not object to the extension of Bicester Village itself, but does object on “the grounds of design, views of nearby St Edburg’s Church, overdevelopment, loss of playing pitches, traffic and pollution relating to the proposals on land to the north of Pingle Drive.”

The application was submitted in November last year after two rounds of public consultation.

The new public park, named St Edburg’s Park, will take up around 2.7 hectares of the proposed development site, to the north of the village, with the rest of the space being used for the 1000-space car park and bicycle hub – which will be built adjacent to Pingle Drive.

The development is planned to replace 2,200 off-site car parking spaces.

 

Read more from this author

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