18


focus on oxford & oxfordshire


Innovation at the heart of Oxfordshire’s growth


Oxford’s worldwide reputation for academic excellence and historical significance runs hand-in-hand with its status as a centre of technology and innovation expertise, writes Alison Dewar


From start-ups to multi-national corporations, the breadth of opportunity across the county continues to attract some of the brightest and the best entrepreneurial brains.


At the same time, ongoing investment in the county’s overall transport infrastructure and a major regeneration programme for the city are setting new standards for the future. The Business Magazine takes a fast-track look at some of the highlights.


Built at an estimated cost of £500 million, the 800,000 sq ft development is a joint venture between Land Securities and The Crown Estate, and will include more than 100 shops, restaurants and cafés, plus leisure facilities including a boutique cinema and new public spaces.


Making sure commuters and visitors alike have easy access to the city centre is a priority for Oxfordshire County Council, which recently unveiled a £6.7 million new “free-flow” junction at Frideswide Square, near the railway station.


The long-awaited multi- million pound overhaul of Oxford Rail Station also took a step forward recently with the unveiling of the top three designs for the project


The Oxfordshire area has one of the five top Technology Innovation Ecosystems in the world, with more than 1,500 high- tech companies employing some 43,000 people, so it was no surprise when earlier this year, a report by the Centre for Cities identified Oxford as one of five “Fast Growth Cities”.


Its strong economic potential, ability to attract large knowledge-based businesses and its high productivity levels, are all elements which help put the city in a strong position for growth.


The report comes at a time when the city centre skyline is changing fast and nowhere is this more evident than in the west end, which is being transformed and regenerated by a series of developments.


The largest and most high profile is the new Westgate Oxford complex which, when it opens in October 2017, will bring an estimated 3,000 jobs and top names such as flagship department store John Lewis.


www.businessmag.co.uk


An estimated 37,000 vehicles use the area each day and the work, which saw traffic lights replaced with a series of three roundabouts, is designed to keep traffic flowing more smoothly.


The long-awaited multi-million pound overhaul of Oxford Rail Station also took a step forward recently with the unveiling of the top three designs for the project. Expected to be jointly funded by both public and private money, it is likely to include additional tracks, a third platform, a new bus terminal, hotel, shops and a multi-storey car park, although work is not expected to begin until the early 2020s.


Adding another piece of the jigsaw to the regeneration of the west end will be the Oxpens development.


The site, between Westgate and the railway station, has long been recognised as the largest remaining development area in the city centre.


Now, the City Council and Oxford University’s Nuffield College have signed an agreement to form a joint venture company to build on at least 16 acres of land in Oxpens, to include up to 500 homes – including social housing and homes for key workers – plus offices and commercial space.


Work is expected to begin after the Westgate development opens.


Further afield across the county, investment in transport infrastructure has been ongoing.


Last October, a new £320m rail line linking Oxford and London opened – the first train line to link a major British city to the capital in 100 years – with two new stations built at Oxford Parkway and Bicester Village.


The joint project between operator Chiltern Railways and Network Rail has proved a success as, by the end of February, more than 100,000 passengers had aleady used the Oxford Parkway line.


In December 2016, services will also be launched to and from Oxford city centre to London Marylebone.


Diamond Light source at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – APRIL 2016


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56