Bicester

Bicester
Market Square, Bicester
Bicester Location within Oxfordshire
Area	8.58 km2 (3.31 sq mi)
Population	37,020 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	4,315/km2 (11,180/sq mi)
OS grid reference	SP5822
Civil parish	Bicester
District	Cherwell
Shire county	Oxfordshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BICESTER
Postcode district	OX25–27
Dialling code	01869
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Oxfordshire
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Bicester and Woodstock
Website	www.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

Bicester (/ˈbɪstər/ ^ⓘ BIST-ər) is a historical market town, garden town, and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in south-central England that 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 very wide pedestrian zone in the conservation area of the town. Bicester is also known for Bicester Village, a nearby shopping centre. In 2024 Bicester elected its first Green Party mayor.^[2]

Bicester has expanded rapidly in recent generations^[3] due to the town's picturesque historical town centre, garden town,^[4] independent and high-street shops, restaurants, and excellent rail connections to Oxford and its 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. 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-build homes at Graven Hill. Its flat topography and compact size is suited to walking and cycling, which, together with an active cycle campaign,^[5] has attracted a significant focus on developing improved active travel infrastructure, including the majority of a recent £14 million central government award to Oxfordshire County Council dedicated to safer walking and cycling.^[6]

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.^[7]