The £100m West Way redevelopment scheme will see house prices in West Oxford rise to rival areas like Headington and Summertown, an estate agent report has said.

In the report, Savills said it would have a beneficial impact on the local housing market and economy.

The proposals include a new supermarket, cinema, gym, health centre, shops, 50 flats and 525 student rooms.

Commissioned by joint developers Doric Properties and Mace, the report predicts the Botley District Centre would result in an increase of about 500 per cent in the number of people currently employed at West Way shopping centre and Elms Parade.

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Patrick Eve, head of Savills Oxford and the report’s author, said: “This will bring it more into line with equivalent communities in Headington and Summertown which already benefit from better retailing provision and good community facilities.

“While the short-term problems associated with an ambitious district centre regeneration scheme are not to be discounted, in our view this is outweighed by the fact that the existing centre is failing to serve its local residents at the moment.”

But Chris Church, co-chairman of West Way Community Concern, said: “They would say that wouldn’t they?

“A development that huge may in fact not be so desirable due to the extra congestion that it will cause on the Botley Road and the A34.”

Susanna Pressel, Labour city councillor, criticised the report for making a positive out of rising house prices.

She said: “This just rubs salt into the wounds. They seem to be rubbing their hands in glee at this new “investment opportunity”, which will provide yet another way for the rich to get richer. ”

Frank Webster, director of letting agent Finders Keepers, didn’t believe the scheme would bring the area’s house prices on a par with Headington and Summertown.

He said: “I don’t think that’s going to happen. Botley doesn’t have the same infrastructure, Headington has the hospitals and North Oxford has the private school effect and two train stations planned.”

The development will be decided by the Vale of White Horse District Council on at a date yet to be set.


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