Agenda item - Bicester Market Square Project

** Due to the size of the documents, to assist access, the appendices are published as a supplement to the main agenda pack **

Report of Corporate Director of Communities

Purpose of report

To provide an update to the Executive on the progress of the Market Square, Bicester regeneration and public realm improvement project and to seek approval to continue to the next stage of the project, and ultimately on to complete the project, subject to all of the required procurement processes being undertaken successfully. This report details the next steps of the design work required to the concept plan, seeking the required planning permissions, approval of the draft programme and budget approvals based on the estimated cost plans undertaken as part of stage 1 of the project.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1 To note the progress of the project to date, including the public engagement process and how the proposed concept design was developed.

1.2 To approve the concept design presented for development to the next stage.

1.3 To approve that the £881,000 from Oxfordshire County Council town centre s106 funds be added to the currently approved £4.25m capital programme budget for this project – to give a maximum total project budget of £5,131,000 to complete this project in full.

1.4 To delegate to the Executive Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration in conjunction with the Corporate Director of Communities and the Assistant Director of Finance the tranches of budget for each stage of the project as required, into the capital programme to enable completion of this project.

1.5 To delegate to the Executive Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration in conjunction with the Corporate Director of Communities and Assistant Director of Law and Governance to approve the appointment of the preferred Consultant & Contractor, to work with the Councils project team to deliver this project following the required Council procurement processes.

1.6 To delegate to the Executive Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration in conjunction with the Corporate Director of Communities and the Assistant Director of Law and Governance the decision on the specific contract options & construction route to deliver the project in full (which is currently proposed as a two-stage contract process) (NEC 4E x22) following the Councils required procurement processes.

1.7 To note the current draft programme of works and estimated timescales of each stage of work, as provided by WSP, as part of their Stage 1 feasibility work as set out in Appendix 4.

1.8 To delegate to the Executive Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration in conjunction with the Corporate Director of Communities to confirm approval to submit the planning application of the detailed design.

Resolved

(1) That the progress of the project to date, including the public engagement process and how the proposed concept design was developed, be noted.

(2) That the concept design presented for development to the next stage be approved.

(3) That it be approved that the £881,000 from Oxfordshire County Council town centre s106 funds be added to the currently approved £4.25m capital programme budget for this project to give a maximum total project budget of £5,131,000 to complete this project in full.

(4) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Communities, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration and the Assistant Director of Finance, to agree the tranches of budget for each stage of the project as required, into the capital programme to enable completion of this project.

(5) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Communities, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration and Assistant Director of Law and Governance, to approve the appointment of the preferred Consultant & Contractor and to work with the Councils project team to deliver this project following the required Council procurement processes.

(6) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Communities, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration in conjunction with the and the Assistant Director of Law and Governance the decision on the specific contract options & construction route to deliver the project in full (which is currently proposed as a two-stage contract process) (NEC 4E x22) following the Councils required procurement processes.

(7) That the current draft programme of works and estimated timescales of each stage of work, as provided by WSP, as part of their Stage 1 feasibility work be noted.

(8) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Communities, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property and Regeneration to confirm approval to submit the planning application of the detailed design.

The Corporate Director of Communities submitted a report to provide an update to the Executive on the progress of the Market Square, Bicester regeneration and public realm improvement project and to seek approval to continue to the next stage of the project, and ultimately on to complete the project, subject to all of the required procurement processes being undertaken successfully. This report details the next steps of the design work required to the concept plan, seeking the required planning permissions, approval of the draft programme and budget approvals based on the estimated cost plans undertaken as part of stage 1 of the project.

Executive members commented that the project was positive for Bicester acknowledging it was a work in progress and compromises were necessary.

Councillor Sibley, Leader of the Independent Group and Bicester West ward member, Councillor Broad, Bicester West ward member, and Councillor Ford, Bicester East ward member, who would each speak on item 9, Bicester Market Square Project.

In addressing Executive, Councillor Broad commented on the importance of car parking, noted that bike racks were included but no motorcycle parking and expressed his support for opposition to traffic calming.

In response to Councillor Ford’s comments regarding the public engagement, how the proposed concept design was chosen and the importance of the project being right, the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property & Regeneration explained that there had been a high number of responses from the survey and it was considered the concept design was a true representation of the outcome of the public engagement. The comments regarding the public engagement exercise were noted and consideration would be given to using the Bicester Town Council publication, Garthe Gazette, on the future.

In response to Councillor Sibley’s comments regarding the impact of the closure of London Road, the Chair confirmed a solution for the London Road crossing was being sought and he would provide an update when he could.

In response to Councillor Sibley’s comments that the Market Square shouldn’t be treated in isolation from the town centre, that retail outlets on the Bicester outskirts were booming due to free parking and he hoped for two-hour free parking in the centre of Bicester and that feedback as the project moved forward would be appreciated, the Chair confirmed that he was committed to keeping Members informed. The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Property & Regeneration explained that whilst this was a standalone project, an holistic approach was being taken with regard to the impact on other parts of Bicester town centre.