A HUGE new business park featuring homes, a gym, cafe and games area is coming to Bicester.

The 'innovation community', dubbed Bicester Gateway, would sit on the approach to the town off the A41, close to Bicester Park and Ride.

Developer Bloombridge says it wants to help Cherwell District Council keep residents working in the town that they live in as opposed to commuting out to Oxford.

The company said it wants entrepreneurs and young professionals to live and work on-site.

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Features include around 4,413sqm of open market office space served by 147 car parking spaces (with electric vehicle charging facilities); a maximum of 33 car-free residential flats with access to four car club spaces; around 240 flats; a gym; a multi-use games area and a car park.

Proposals also include a mixed-use co-working hub with a lounge area, desk space for hire, an 'active travel hub' and a small food shop or cafe.

The idea is that people can live and work at the site and Bicester residents can work there and use the facilities too.

Catalyst Bicester, another business community site that was given the green light by the council in May, sits behind Bicester Gateway. This will include a David Lloyd Health Club and a wetland nature reserve.

Both communities form part of the bigger Bicester 10: Bicester Gateway plan for economic development in the town.

Oxford Mail:

A CGI image of what Bicester Gateway could look like

Bruce Usher, from Bloombridge, said: "It's very hard to compete with Oxford so we're working with Cherwell to look at ways to create a knowledge economy.

"Businesses, especially now due to the pandemic, are forced to work from home so we want to create spaces were people can work and live in a community.

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"This provides a space for people in Bicester to walk over to, open up their laptop and work with other like-minded people. We think that if we get employees here, then employers will follow.

"We want to tick the environment box, reduce travel and create a nice work-from-home environment. We, as the developer, feel supported."

The main concerns that have been put forward to the council are regarding how people will safely get to Bicester Gateway by walking or cycling.

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Bicester resident Colin Welby said: "With the amount of people probably wanting to cross to the park & ride I feel it is massively important that a light controlled pedestrian crossing is installed on the dual carriageway on the south side of the roundabout between the development and the park & ride.

"Without this there will be people taking a chance to cross this road with the inevitable consequences."

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The developer says it has been in conversation with Bicester Bike Users Group which raised concerns about the lack of cycleways to the site.

It says it is 'very mindful' that the business park needs to be 'integrated, not isolated' and plans to install a new crossing on the A41 as well as bus shelters on both sides of the carriageway.

Cherwell District Council's planning committee approved the plan yesterday.

To view the application, search 20/00293/OUT online at cherwell.gov.uk