Plans for a growth corridor spanning Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire have been put back on the table.
The plans for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc were originally put in place by former prime minister Boris Johnson in late 2020.
They were then scrapped in 2022 in favour of the Levelling Up scheme.
The current government has re-opened the book on the Oxford-Cambridge Arc
The Oxford-Cambridge region is known for its scientific research and global enterprise and is worth around 7% of the UK’s GDP.
Since the Arc project has been suspended, the East-West Rail link has continued to develop, opening up easier travel in the region for the areas between Oxford and Cambridge.
The original plan, potentially being put back in place, consisted of a spatial framework plan to create jobs, investment, and infrastructure, as well as protect the environment and build new homes. The areas across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Cambridgeshire would see the benefits of this framework.
This was intended to boost the UK’s international competitiveness and scientific study to tackle large issues, including climate change, diseases (with COVID-19 still in the public conscience at the time) and, no doubt, added on as part of the prime minister’s new plan, Artificial Intelligence.
It was suggested that by 2050, economic output in the region could grow to over £200bn.
In 2021, the region contained more than 2m jobs and was home to over 3.7m residents.
The plan was confirmed in a meeting with industry leaders
The Secretary of state for science and innovation, Peter Kyle, and minister of state for science, research and innovation, Lord Vallance, met with industry chiefs from the likes of AstraZeneca, GSK, Airbus, and AVEVA, along with other investors and scholars from universities.
The Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, in co-operation with the Public First consultancy, estimate that growth in the region through policy interventions such as planning reforms could add £78bn to the country’s GDP by 2035. This would be enough to fund the New Hospital Programme more than three times over.
The plan is, therefore, intended to re-establish the UK as a scientific superpower on the world stage. This is supported by the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, 45 members of which joined the pledge to enhance what is already one of the world’s most influential scientific and technological corridors.
Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, said: “The Oxford-Cambridge Arc is already an engine of prosperity and a shining example of how universities, investors and innovative businesses can work together to drive growth when they create and seize the opportunities offered by breakthroughs in science and technology. But together, we can go even further.
“We are determined to unleash R&D as a driving force in our mission to grow the economy in every corner of the country under our Plan for Change. I look forward to working with leaders across the OxCam region to explore how they plan to bring their exciting ambitions to fruition and how we can replicate their success across the country.”
Stuart Grant, CEO of ARC (Advanced Research Clusters), said: “We are committed to investing over £1 billion in the OxCam economy to develop world-class campuses that will empower innovators and changemakers.
“The region’s potential is truly extraordinary, but unlocking this potential demands a strategic, comprehensive approach that brings together government, industry, and academic leaders. I believe we can create an ecosystem that not only drives scientific breakthroughs but also position the OxCam region as a global beacon of innovation and economic transformation.”
