Bicester

Bicester
Market Square, Bicester
Bicester is located in Oxfordshire
Bicester
Bicester
Location within Oxfordshire
Area8.58 km2 (3.31 sq mi)
Population37,020 (2021 census)[1]
• Density4,315/km2 (11,180/sq mi)
OS grid referenceSP5822
Civil parish
  • Bicester
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBICESTER
Postcode districtOX25–27
Dialling code01869
PoliceThames Valley
FireOxfordshire
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament
Websitewww.bicester.gov.uk
List of places
UK
England
Oxfordshire

51°54′N 1°09′W / 51.90°N 1.15°W / 51.90; -1.15

Map

Bicester (/ˈbɪstər/ BIST-ər) is a market town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in south-central England. The town also comprises an eco-town development at North West Bicester and a self-build village at Graven Hill. Its local market is located on Sheep Street, a pedestrian zone in the conservation area of the town. Bicester is also known for the Bicester Village shopping centre.

Bicester has expanded rapidly in recent generations[2] due to the town's picturesque historical town centre, garden town layout,[3] independent and high-street shops and restaurants, as well as rail connections to London, Birmingham, and Oxford. The town is also on the East West Rail route which is due to provide links to Milton Keynes from 2025, with planned later extensions to Cambridge.[4] The town is similarly proximate to Brackley, Buckingham, Banbury, Milton Keynes, and Aylesbury by road. A considerable volume of high-quality and environmentally friendly housing stock has been constructed, in particular at the Elmsbrook [5] eco-town and the self-built homes at Graven Hill. Its flat topography and compact size are suited to walking and cycling, which, together with an active cycle campaign,[6] has attracted a significant focus on developing improved active travel infrastructure. This includes the majority of a £14 million central government award to Oxfordshire County Council for the purpose of developing safer walking and cycling schemes.[7]

Bicester has a town council. In 2014, the government, in concert with the local planning authority, planned for Bicester to become a garden city on the basis of the size of its buffers and its distance from the Metropolitan Green Belt and in order to accommodate the demand of commuters to London and Oxford. Up to 13,000 new homes will be built.[8] In 2024 Bicester elected its first Green Party mayor.[9]

  1. ^ "Bicester". City population. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  2. ^ United Kingdom Censuses 1951–2001
  3. ^ Council, Cherwell District. "Bicester Garden Town | Cherwell District Council". www.cherwell.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  4. ^ Foster, Laura (11 November 2024). "What is happening with East West Rail?". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  5. ^ "POWERING THE UK'S FIRST ECO TOWN".
  6. ^ "Bicester Bike Users Group". Bicester Bike Users Group. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Active travel fund: final allocations". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  8. ^ Bicester Garden City BBC News.
  9. ^ "Bicester Town Mayor". www.bicester.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2024.

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