RESIDENTS are to get a say on changes proposed as part of a £1m makeover for Bicester’s Market Square.

Designs for three different schemes to improve the “tired” square will be unveiled at a public consultation exhibition on Friday, November 27, and Saturday, November 28.

People will get a chance to see artists’ impressions and a three-dimensional model of how the square could look after the facelift.

The project is a joint initiative between Cherwell District Council and Oxfordshire County Council, which have pledged £250,000 and £750,000 respectively to the scheme.

The proposals come four years after previous plans for the square were dropped.

Each new option includes new paving and crossing points and street furniture – but the development would see parking spaces lost, costing Cherwell up to £80,000 a year in income.

At the moment there are 48 parking spaces, including 13 free short-stay spaces, and nine taxi spaces in Market Square and Market Hill.

The options are:

  • Leave the road layout the same, but remove 12 parking spaces and three taxi rank spaces.
  • Introduce two-way traffic on the south side of the square, with the north side being pedestrianised and a small public space created. A total of eight parking bays would be lost, along with five taxi spaces.
  • Introduce two-way traffic on the south side of the square, but move car parking to Market Hill, where 26 spaces would be provided, along with four taxi spaces.This option would also include a large pedestrianised public space, linking Sheep Street and Crown Walk, and a loading area for shop deliveries.

Bicester councillor Lawrie Stratford said questions had been raised about the revised road layouts.

He said: “The engineers have done a lot of research and say it will not be a problem – it may be that traffic islands are moved around.

“The purpose of the exhibitions is to say to people, ‘these are the schemes, but they are not set in stone’ – they are for people to give their views.”

He added it was important to “liven up” the square to link it with the forthcoming town centre redevelopment.

Mr Stratford said: “My own view is that it has started to look pretty tired and needs a bit of a boost. There are issues to balance – people like parking on the square.”

Ben Jackson, president of Bicester Chamber of Commerce, said it was important the square retained its appeal and continued to function effectively as a commercial location.

The councils have yet to decide a venue for the exhibition but it will be in the town centre.