New Oxford shopping centre plans welcomed by locals

In 2024, Canadian investor Roy Sebag, who owns Goldmoney Properties, bought the Clarendon Centre from Lothbury Asset Management.

Since last year, the centre has been closed with retailers including TK Maxx moving to the Westgate shopping centre or other locations.

Now GP (Goldmoney Properties) Clarendon Square Ltd has submitted a planning application to the city council to renovate the centre featuring a new square.

Oxford residents have been submitting comments to Oxford City Council with their thoughts on the plans.

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How the new square could look at the Clarendon Centre (Image: GP Clarendon Square Ltd)

Nicky Warren, of Marlborough Road, Oxford, said: “There has been a lot of interest in a city centre playground for children as provision is currently very limited.

“The courtyard would seem an ideal area for a space for young children to play.”

Mari Prichard, of Farndon Road, North Oxford, said: “A lot of the application seems reasonable.

“But what Oxford city centre needs to be the vibrant place it claims to support are more year-round residents.

“The Gloucester Green flats were, I think, the last example, though rumour has it that many are now Airbnb.

“I and other locals had hoped that this application would include upper level, probably rented, flats targeted at moderate income local workers as appropriate, but anyhow on terms that would avoid their exploiting the flats by not living there.”

Oxford city councillor Susanna Pressel has previously welcomed the latest plans.

She said: “Now that the planning application has been submitted and published, we can all see what the new Clarendon Centre will look like if it gets permission.

“I think it will be a worthy addition to our city centre, and a great improvement on what was there before. I can’t wait for it to be completed.”

Ms Pressel said earlier that the new development, featuring the square, would be a “stunning addition to the city centre”.

She added: “Every college has internal quads which are lovely green and peaceful places, but they are not accessible to most of us. Bonn Square is attractive, but it’s not enough.

“This development would provide a very welcome peaceful green space, open to all. As we walk along Cornmarket Street and Queen Street, we would have a glimpse of beautiful trees and benches to tempt us in, with new open ‘streets’ to lead us there.

“The developers are even planning a water feature in the central square, which would surely be a great draw. They talk about how this would give ‘a sense of tranquillity’.”

The new square is expected to reduce the amount of space available for retail units. Some research and development hubs are expected to feature alongside retail units.