Site History + Context the Following Chapterexplores Therich History Andsurroundingcontext Ofthe Site Andits Significanceto the Redevelopment
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THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER EXPLORES THE RICH SITE HISTORY + HISTORY AND SURROUNDING CONTEXT OF THE SITE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE CONTEXT REDEVELOPMENT. CHAPTER 2.0 THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | OXFORD 2.1 SITE HISTORY + CONTEXT THE CLARENDON CENTRE The Clarendon Centre is a small shopping mall located right in the heart of Oxford City Centre. The mall at present is an agglomeration of a number of buildings, mostly constructed in the 1950’s onwards, which have over time been adapted and modified to provide the covered shopping mall which stands on the site today. The mall provides a covered link between Cornmarket Street and Queen Street, with a connection to Shoe Lane. The Clarendon Centre over the past few decades has been occupied by a myriad of well known and loved highstreet names. Due to the opening of the Westgate Centre in 2017 and the collapse in the retail market the majority of these well known retailers have now vacated. The centre is now at an important crossroads in its viability as a retail-led destination. Cornmarket Street Entrance Queen Street Entrance. 18029 | THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | DESIGN + ACCESS STATEMENT | JANUARY 2021 08 / 164 2.2 SITE HISTORY + CONTEXT THE PROJECT SITE The project site is nestled within the heart of Oxford’s City Centre, sitting adjacent to arguably the centre point of Oxford - Carfax Tower. The site is bound by Cornmarket Street to the East, Queen Street to the South, Shoe Lane to the West and Frewin Court to the North. The site presents an opportunity to comprehensively re-stich a large city block in Oxford back to the surrounding historic city. HSBC. Centre. mound. Barclays. Northgate. Carfax Tower. Carfax The Westgate Westgate The Oxford Castle. Oxford Castle. Oxford redevelopment. Nuffield College. St Michael at the Michael at St Northgate House Northgate 18029 | THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | DESIGN + ACCESS STATEMENT | JANUARY 2021 09 / 164 2.3 SITE HISTORY + CONTEXT THE PROJECT SITE Towards North Oxford / A40 EXISTING PROVISION The existing site is occupied by an enclosed shopping centre with public pedestrian access from Cornmarket Street to the east, Queen Street to the south and Shoe Lane to the west. The site also abuts Frewin Court to the north, which George Street Ship Street runs east to west from Cornmarket Street. The ground floor operates as retail, primarily Cornmarket Street St. Michaels Street facing directly into the internal Queen Street and Cornmarket malls, with secure access control New Inn Hall Street points to all three streets. Some retail units also have frontages onto Cornmarket Street and Queen Towards Market Street Railway Street. Station At first floor there is a mix of retail front of house Towards Oxford and back of house storage areas, as well as the key Brookes. service cores and associated service corridors. Shoe Lane High Street To the second floor there is a mix of office accommodation, retail back of house and roof level plant enclosures. Queen Street The third and fourth floors accommodate office space and roof level access and plant enclosures. The overall amalgamation of buildings provides accommodation of between three and four stories with additional roof level plant enclosures creating a fifth floor level to some locations. Towards A34 HSBC. Centre. mound. Barclays. Northgate. The Oxford Oxford The Carfax Tower. Carfax Bonn Square. Union Library. The Westgate Westgate The Oxford Castle. Oxford redevelopment. Nuffield College. St Michael at the Michael at St Northgate House Northgate 18029 | THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | DESIGN + ACCESS STATEMENT | JANUARY 2021 10 / 164 2.4 The Star Coaching Inn occupied the site for PRE-1863 circa 400 years until THE CLARENDONCENTRE’SPAST +CONTEXT SITE HISTORY 1863 The Star was acquired by the Oxford Hotel 1863 Company and renamed The Clarendon The Clarendon 1939 site purchased by Woolworth & Co. The Clarendon 1954 demolished. New Woolworth’s store 1957 opens. The Wooldworth’s store was developed along with 1983 the rest of the site into The Clarendon Centre The Clarendon Centre 1984 opens, anchored by Littlewoods. The Clarendon Centre 2000 undergoes refurbishment, with GAP introduced. ZARA becomes centre 2004 anchor. New H&M store 2011 constructed and opens. 2017 Westgate Centre Opens 2018 TK MAXX anchors centre. 11 /164 18029 | THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | DESIGN + ACCESS STATEMENT | JANUARY 2021 2.5 SITE HISTORY + CONTEXT HISTORIC MAPS Oxford has developed akin to a palimpsest over time. Over centuries, new layers have been added to existing layers of the city to create the rich tapestry of streets, spires and buildings we experience today. The historic maps on this page capture that development of the city grain over time, including changes to The Clarendon Centre site. 1675 Perspective Historical Map 1856 - 1908 Historical Map 1924 - 1957 Historical Map 18029 | THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | DESIGN + ACCESS STATEMENT | JANUARY 2021 12 / 164 2.6 SITE HISTORY + CONTEXT THE CLARENDON CENTRE’S PRESENT THE CLARENDON CENTRE TODAY: The Clarendon Centre as it is experienced today, much like the wider City of Oxford, has materialised as the result of a number of new layers being added over time ranging from extensive refurbishment to minor internal reconfigurations of the units. The Centre was originally conceived through adapting a number of existing buildings on the site, including the original Woolworths building which faces Cornmarket Street. The centre underwent a extensive refurbishment in 2000, and further development work in 2011. Current Cornmarket Street entrance through Glazed entrance to Queen Street, originally Existing Shoe Lane entrance to the centre, The launch of The Westgate Centre in 2017 has had what was originally the Woolworth’s store. developed in 1983, but refurbished which was extensively redeveloped in 2011 to a major impact on The Clarendon Centre. Many extensively in 2000. form a new H&M store. of the key tenants within the Clarendon Centre relocated to The Westgate Centre following its Cornmarket Street mall Queen Street Mall. Shoe Lane entrance. opening, skewing the axis of retail in Oxford toward Westgate. The Clarendon Centre has struggled to attract tenants since Westgate’s opening. At present only 70% of the retail units are occupied by tenants, with this situation being further exacerbated by the shift of retail towards online-shopping and the Covid-19 pandemic. In order to make full use of this key site with the historic juncture of Oxford City Centre, there is a real need to rethink the offering of The Clarendon Centre. 18029 | THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | DESIGN + ACCESS STATEMENT | JANUARY 2021 13 / 164 2.7 SITE HISTORY + CONTEXT THE CHANGING NATURE OF RETAIL IN OXFORD THE CHANGING NATURE OF RETAIL DIAGRAM KEY: The central location of The Clarendon Centre University + knowledge site requires a review within the context of the quarter changing nature of retail within Oxford. At present University / innovation The Clarendon Centre lacks an identity as an area zone due to the axis of retail having moved towards The Clarendon Centre lacks Westgate. ? an identity as an area. The site sits at a key junction between the retail-led Westgate is the main retail destination. provision of Cornmarket Street and Queen Street. The project presents the opportunity to reconfigure a significant urban block to better align with current demands and the wider public realm. Public green spaces are primarily found outside the historic city centre. Within the historic footprint, lawns and tranquil spaces of Colleges may be viewed through gates, but generally are not accessible to the public. The uses within central Oxford covered market. ? Oxford are defined by a mix between these private spaces and the more retail focused public areas. The site sits on the boundary between the two, The Clarendon Centre. influenced by the adjoining colleges and the retail activity. The changing retail dynamic within Oxford, following the opening of The Westgate Centre has altered the nature of Cornmarket Street, Due to its proximity to The Westgate Centre, The Westgate Centre Queen Street has become the primary retail led thoroughfare. The redevelopment of the Clarendon Centre, providing a mix of uses and improved site permeability will help to stitch together these two key shopping streets. This in turn will improve the viability of Oxford City Centre and future proof Cornmarket Street. PUBLIC SPACES AND COLLEGE QUADS 18029 | THE CLARENDON CENTRE REGENERATION | DESIGN + ACCESS STATEMENT | JANUARY 2021 14 / 164 2.8 SITE HISTORY + CONTEXT CURRENT RETAIL PROVISION IN OXFORD CURRENT RETAIL PROVISION IN OXFORD Oxford has a range of different retail offerings within the City Centre, ranging from the large Westgate Centre, which is home to a plethora of national and global brands to Oxford Covered Market, providing a much more locally rooted independent retail experience. To accompany these large indoor retail destinations, the surrounding streets also house a number of retailers - the street frontages can be divided into primary and secondary frontages. Queen Street and Cornmarket Street (adjacent to the project site) form the primary retail led thoroughfares in the City Centre. The Clarendon Centre at present, whilst sitting within the main retail zone, does not match the high quality retail offering of the Westgate or the Covered Market - this leaves it lacking an identity as a destination. DIAGRAM KEY: The mapping diagram on this page captures some Primary retail