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Government Funding for West End
Released on 21 Feb 2008
Oxford has received a cash boost for the regeneration of the West End and Bonn Square.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has awarded the West End partnership £5.4 million pounds over the next three years.
The money will help support work to regenerate the West End as well as being used partly to assist the transformation of the run-down Bonn Square into an area that the whole city will enjoy.
Councillor John Goddard, Leader of Oxford City Council, says: "This is a positive step to regenerate this neglected part of Oxford city centre. We welcome the Government's continuing commitment to this major re-development.
"We plan to deliver over 800 new dwellings, 50 per cent of them affordable, in a sustainable and eco-friendly way. There will also be a new public square in the re-developed West End."
Councillor Keith Mitchell, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, says: "The County and City Councils have always shared a very strong desire to deliver an improved West End of Oxford.
"We take as our benchmark the exemplary work at the Oxford Castle where the County and City worked in partnership with the developer, Trevor Osborne, and with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), Oxford Preservation Trust and English Heritage to produce a world class development.
"Both our councils have now reached another milestone along the route to achieving our goals for the West End, in partnership with a lot of other key stakeholders and I look forward to seeing changes on the ground in the coming years."
Jane Pearson, Senior Development Executive at SEEDA, says: "SEEDA, along with its partners in the West End Executive Board is delighted with this news of substantial funding for the regeneration of Oxford's West End.
"Following on from the success of the multi-award winning Oxford Castle development, we look forward to seeing the West End of Oxford go from strength to strength."
The Growth Points bid was submitted to the DCLG after it invited existing new Growth Points to submit their Programme of Development in October 2007.
The breakdown of the money awarded is as follows:
The Bonn Square re-development is one stage in the transformation of Oxford's West End following the completion of Oxford Castle.
Display boards have been erected around the site with an artist's impression to explain what the new development will look like and provide visitors with an insight into the history of the square.
The new Bonn Square is expected to be open to the public during Summer 2008. Seven semi-mature trees will be planted in the square with seating placed underneath the trees. The Tirah Memorial will remain in its current position.
The West End regeneration is being led by a partnership between Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and SEEDA. These three make up the West End Executive Board.