THE new £440m Westgate centre continues to take shape with the building site off Oxpens Road a hive of activity.

Contractors are busy with diggers, lorries and cranes as the revamped shopping centre moves nearer to completion.

There is now just a year to go until the new shopping centre opens in October 2017.

John Lewis is building a new department store and the new structure will soon be fitted out.

Work started in February to extend the centre, which will cover 800,000sq ft and include more than 100 new stores, 25 restaurants and cafes, and a boutique cinema.

Developers Westgate Oxford Alliance are understood to be pleased with progress and city council leader Bob Price said earlier all external buildings would be completed by Christmas.