The area to the north of Oxford is becoming a hive of development activity as Oxfordshire extends its offering for science companies ready to relocate or expand.
Oxford North, the new £1.2 billion innovation centre, recently described as a ‘hotbed for innovation’ in quantum computing and life sciences by Science Minister Lord Vallance, is seeking a residential partner to develop 161 energy-efficient new homes within the site.
Begbroke Science Park is continuing its expansion with an additional 12,500m² of laboratory-enabled buildings for research and commercial use.
Oxford Technology Park, next to Oxford Airport, is expanding into its second phase. This will provide incubator space for early-stage companies and spinouts, specialising in businesses transitioning between Series B and Series C funding. The development has incorporated biodiverse habitats and improved pedestrian and cycle connections to ensure long-term value for surrounding villages.
Meanwhile proposals have been launched for Exoq, a new research district with high performance quantum compatible infrastructure and data centres.
There is bound to be more to come as a new ‘innovation avenue’ widens to the north of the city, backed by proposals for seamless integrated bus, cycle and rail travel.
The area around the city’s northern rail station, Oxford Parkway, will be the focus of improvements after Oxford United football club announced £5 million of new funding for infrastructure upgrades around Oxford Parkway station. The club is building a new stadium nearby at The Triangle, and its development features a 180-bed hotel and a conference centre, enhancing the city’s offering as a meeting place for business.
A new railway station at Begbroke is planned for delivery by 2037, as one aspect of a joined-up vision for the county that will include the reopening of the Cowley Branch line to east Oxford, more trains from the north, and a mass rapid transit extending west from north Oxford. In addition, East West Rail is due to link Oxford and Cambridge by 2030, offering new connections for 240,000 more people.
‘The wide range of world-class facilities and amenities that are planned for the area north of Oxford, along with the improved travel connections, will deepen Oxfordshire’s attractiveness as a global innovation ecosystem, serving the city, the region, and the needs of international businesses,’ says Helen Ryan-Wallis, Director of Strategic Development and Programmes at Enterprise Oxfordshire.
Image provided by Oxford North.