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 an historical market town, garden 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 continues to thrive and is now located on Sheep Street, a pedestrian zone in the conservation area of the town. Bicester is also known for Bicester Village, a nearby 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, restaurants, as well as a rail connection to Oxford. It also boasts imminent connection to Cambridge, as well as rail links to Birmingham and London. It 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 recently, in particular at the Elmsbrook eco-town and the self-built homes at Graven Hill. Its flat topography and compact size is suited to walking and cycling, which, together with an active cycle campaign,[4] has attracted a significant focus on developing improved active travel infrastructure. This includes the majority of a recent £14 million central government award to Oxfordshire County Council for the purpose of developing safer walking and cycling schemes.[5]

Bicester has its own 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 distance from the Metropolitan Green Belt as well as to accommodate the demand of commuters to London and Oxford. Up to 13,000 new homes will be built.[6] In 2024 Bicester elected its first Green Party mayor.[7]

  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. ^ "Bicester Bike Users Group". Bicester Bike Users Group. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Active travel fund: final allocations". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  6. ^ Bicester Garden City BBC News.
  7. ^ "Bicester Town Mayor". www.bicester.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2024.

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