Oxford West End

PUBLIC CONSULTATIOn

The West End regeneration incorporates many different development schemes and projects; each project owner, landowner or developer will seek to encourage public feedback via consultation exhibitions, feedback forms and questionnaires, or through participation at workshops and meetings, giving you the opportunity to comment on development and influence decisions. For information about consultations, both past and present, please see our Public Consultation Diary below.

OXFORD WAYFINDING PROJECT

The Oxford Wayfinding Project was launched in 2010 to look at ways of updating the city centre's twenty year old wayfinding system. Widespread consultation took place in 2010-11, initially focusing on key stakeholders such as cultural and heritage organisations, local businesses, universities, accessibility groups and senior councillors.

Residents and visitors were then asked to give their views in an Oxford-wide public consultation in Autumn 2011; Two prototype signs were installed in Bonn Square and St Ebbe's Street to enable people to see the proposed designs in situ and provide informed feedback. Over 120 people responded to the questionnaire, with around 50 of these providing detailed comments and suggestions. Several changes have been incorporated into the design of the signs as a result of this consultation.

A new wayfinding system has now been agreed that will enhance the experience of visiting, working or living in Oxford by:

Providing clear directional and map information to visitors
Providing useful information for residents and encourages alternative routes
Showcasing a strong design which reflects Oxford’s unique character and history
Minimising street clutter by integrating directional information with maps, resulting in fewer signs

Detailed designs have been produced for a family of sign types that includes large and small map monoliths; wall-mounted maps and directional signs; fingerposts with an information panel; and traditional fingerposts. The maps feature strong, simple graphics and for ease of use are in a "heads up" orientation, which means they are read in the direction in which you are looking. The new system will be one of the first in the UK to combine traditional fingerposts and mapping boards with state-of-the-art technology that allows the user to access information via smart phones.

Consideration has been given to colour contrast, typeface and positioning to ensure the signs are accessible to as many people as possible. The signs will include design features, such as bronze posts, to complement Oxford’s architecture and materials have been carefully chosen to ensure they will be durable, adaptable and affordable to maintain.

For more information about the Oxford Wayfinding Project, click here.

FRIDESWIDE SQUARE

The transformation of Frideswide Square from a congested junction to a functional and welcoming public space is a key priority for the West End Partnership and Oxfordshire County Council.

Several stages of stakeholder and public consultation were held throughout 2010-11 to help realise this ambition. Initially, residents and stakeholders were invited to consult on the future of Frideswide Square via an online and print survey in spring 2010. This was followed by a more detailed stakeholder consultation in summer 2010.

This initial consultation process revealed a high level of dissatisfaction with Frideswide Square in its current state - see the ambitions document for more information.

In late 2010, local organisations, stakeholders and the public were invited to give their views on the design and preparatory work via a detailed questionnaire. For more information on this phase of consultation please read the background documentation.

A high quality, £3.7m scheme has now been agreed which will reclaim the Square as public space, giving priority to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users whilst allowing the necessary flow of traffic to move smoothly but slowly through the space.

Two preferred design options have emerged from the extensive background and feasibility work conducted to date. Both options are based on the “shared space” principle which would see traffic lights replaced with compact roundabouts, reduced road widths and courtesy crossing points. These options will be subject to further stakeholder consultation in early 2012 along with traffic modelling and technical studies, before a final design decision can be reached.

A public meeting to discuss these options and other planning issues will be held on Wednesday 22nd February, 2012, 7:00-8:30pm, at the West Oxford Democrats Club on North Street, Osney Island. The meeting is organised by West Oxford Matters, a community-led planning group which meets to discuss topics affecting West Oxford, providing a forum for the local community to exchange their views and take an active role in planning the future of the area. All local residents are welcome and councillors and planners will be present to answer questions and participate in this important discussion.

You may also wish to attend the Central, South and West Area Forum, which meets regularly to discuss topics of interest to those living in the City Centre, West Oxford, South Oxford and Jericho. Areas of interest range from public consultations and development plans (such as the railway station and Frideswide Square) to local heritage assets and community events. Again, all local residents are invited and meetings are attended by representatives of local community groups, councillors and senior council officers. Meetings take place at various locations and begin at 6:00pm, preceded by an informal session at 5:45pm where local partners and councillors are available to discuss any issues. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 21st February at St Barnabas School, Hart St, Jericho. You can view the list of actions agreed at the previous meeting here.

For more information about Frideswide Square click here.

OXFORD RAILWAY STATION

Oxford Railway Station is an important gateway to Oxford and the West End, however it is in need of significant upgrading, both in terms of operational performance and passenger provision. Plans to redevelop the station have intensified over the past two years as it has become evident that the station's long-term needs will soon outstrip its capacity.

The West End Partnership along with rail officials and the two councils are currently drawing up a 'masterplan', which will outline the long-term vision for the station taking into account all rail proposals, such as electrification, the creation of the Evergreen 3 link from Oxford to London Marylebone via Bicester, and the East-West rail link. The masterplan will also consider the role of the station in the wider regeneration of Oxford’s West End, particularly with regard to the redevelopment of Frideswide Square.

Network Rail’s earlier plan to create a new platform on the Becket Street car park, along with Oxfordshire County Council's plan to replace the Botley Road bridge, have been shelved temporarily as a more extensive redevelopment is being considered. Click here to view the exhibition posters from this earlier consultation, or read further background information about the scheme.

For more information about Oxford Railway Station click here.

SCIENCE OXFORD

Science Oxford has unveiled plans to build a £30 million cultural centre for science and technology that will feature a domed, immersive theatre, retail area and several galleries, showcasing the discoveries and inventions that drive Oxford’s economy. The state-of-the-art facility, on New Road next to Oxford's historic Castle Mound, is likely to become a major tourist destination, attracting as many as 100,000 visitors a year.

Science Oxford is keen to hear what people think of their plans and find out what they'd like to see in the new centre. To this end members of the public were invited to contribute their views at three consultation workshops in late 2010. If you missed the workshops please feel free to share your views online at www.scienceoxford.com/our-future/have-your-say, or by email at future@scienceoxford.com.

For more information about Science Oxford's exciting new home, click here.

OLD FIRE STATION

The 'new' Old Fire Station was reopened on November 4th, 2011, after a large-scale refurbishment. The result is a modern and dynamic centre where performance, education and training combine in an impressive building re-designed by architects Fielden Clegg Bradley. Oxford City Council and Crisis formed an alliance in 2008 to bid for funding from the Homes and Communities Agency to redevelop the 115-year-old building.

The new facility now houses Crisis Skylight Oxford, which provides education, training and employment services for homeless and vulnerably housed people, along with Arts at the Old Fire Station, an independent charity which offers professional development for artists, creative activities for the general public, and a shop selling the work of local artists.

Widespread consultation took place in 2009-10 with key stakeholders, including homelessness organisations, senior councillors, accessibility groups, and arts and cultural organisations. Public consultation events were held in October, 2009, and February, 2010, giving people the opportunity to view and comment on the proposed designs for the building.

Local residents were then invited to a public information session to view the final designs for the building and meet the contractor. Details of these public consultation sessions, including earlier designs, can be found at the Crisis Skylight website, or you can view the exhibition boards here.

For more information about the Old Fire Station redevelopment, click here.

FISHER ROW POCKET PARK

The Fisher Row pocket park improvement scheme was completed in late 2010, opening up the Castle Mill Stream waterside walkway as a convenient, attractive and safe central route between north and south Oxford. The scheme was a key platform of the West End Partnership's programme of improvements to public spaces along the central waterside corridor, which saw significant upgrades to the neighbouring Hythe Bridge Pocket Park and Lower Fisher Row Gardens.

The improvement works included replacing the old footpath surfacing, extending the steps, cleaning the stonework on the bridge, introducing new street furniture, upgrading the street lighting, and carrying out general maintenance such as repairing stonework and re-pointing.

Oxford residents were invited to consult on the improvements to Fisher Row pocket park in February 2010, as part of the West End Community Group meeting. There was broad support for the project and some useful suggestions were incorporated into the work, which was completed in autumn 2010.

For more information about the Fisher Row scheme click here.

ST EBBE'S STREET

The redevelopment of St Ebbe's Street, between Pembroke Street and Bonn Square, is a key aim of the West End regeneration, and preliminary work is in progress to assess the viability of the scheme. As part of this preliminary work, a public consultation was held from May 21st to June 28th, 2010. For details of this consultation, and more information about the proposed improvement scheme, please visit the Ambitions for St Ebbe's Street webpage.

For more information about St Ebbe's Street click here.

CHRIST CHURCH DEVELOPMENT SITES

Christ Church are the landowners of two of the sites that abut Frideswide Square; the Island Site and Southside, Frideswide Square (see the development sites map for more info). Development of these sites may take place in conjunction with the proposed regeneration of Frideswide Square. Details of any public consultation opportunities will be announced when available.

CHILTERN RAILWAYS - PROJECT EVERGREEN 3

Consultation ended April 2009. For more information see the Chiltern Railways website.

QUEEN STREET

Consultation ended March 2009. A phased programme of improvements to Queen Street was delivered on time and to budget in Summer 2009. The work involved:

Relocating bus stops from Queen Street to nearby streets
Reducing the number of buses passing through Queen Street by around one third
Creating more space for pedestrians
Resurfacing pavements and the road
Replacing street furniture - benches, cycle racks etc

For more information see the Transform Oxford website.