Update: Banbury's Castle Quay Waterfront reaches new construction milestone

The crane removal previously scheduled for Monday February 22 at the Castle Quay Waterfront development has now been delayed due to weather conditions.

As construction work on Castle Quay Waterfront moves closer to completion, a large tower crane is scheduled for removal from the construction site, which will take place across two days starting on March 3 and 4.

The crane, which has been in operation since January 2020, will be dismantled and removed, which will take a maximum of two days, subject to any delays resulting from poor weather conditions. This operation will require one lane on Cherwell Drive to be closed, and a traffic marshal will be situated in the area to assist with the operation and management of oncoming traffic.

Work on site continues to be carried out in line with Government guidelines. It is anticipated that the supermarket and hotel elements of the development will open in Summer 2021, with the cinema and restaurant units to follow.

Cllr Tony Ilott, lead member for finance at Cherwell District Council, said: “We’ve seen great progress on the Castle Quay Waterfront site and the development is rapidly taking shape.

"Castle Quay Waterfront will invigorate the canal-side and bring a wider range of uses into the town centre, creating a more vibrant destination for residents and visitors.

"We look forward to the opening of this transformational development for Banbury, which will complement the existing offer within the town and see our vision become a reality”.

Gary Cramp, McLaren’s regional managing director for Midlands and North, said: “This move into the next stage of the development marks an exciting milestone for the redevelopment of Banbury Town Centre.

"The months ahead are an important time for us in delivering the final stages of construction for Castle Quay Waterfront, and our team continue to work hard in line with Government guidance to deliver this vision for the town."

Work on the project has continued uninterrupted despite challenging weather conditions, including the more recent Christmas flooding.

The new development will transform this area into a thriving canal side destination, complete with The Light© Cinema, Lidl supermarket, Premier Inn hotel and restaurants.

The new line-up will complement the existing Castle Quay offer, acting as a link between neighbouring sites such as the Spiceball Leisure Centre and the shopping centre, improving connectivity within the town centre and supporting the creation of a dynamic evening economy.