'Watch this space' say key Oxford-Cambridge arc campaigners

The Future Oxfordshire Partnership (FOP), have indicated their belief that progress on the Oxford Cambridge Arc may follow the local elections in June. Discussing the possibility of the project having been mothballed by government, the director of the cross council group said he didn't believe the infrastructure plans were dead just yet, adding 'watch this space.'

The representative body is constituted from all six county, district and city councils, in which the long mooted Oxford Cambridge Arc, will be built. The purpose of the partnership is to coordinate and manage economic, housing and infrastructure development efforts. Director Andrew Down said while reports suggest the Arc had been 'de-emphasised' by government, this did not mean the complete dismissal of the plans.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail Mr. Down said: “The soft indications from civil servants are that there is still government interest in the Arc, the emphasis is probably shifting towards locally-led collaboration rather than some top-down model but we are not clear yet what that locally-led collaboration might look like.

“The Arc leadership group has agreed to continue work for the six-month period while we seek more clarity from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities but also while we get local elections done and dusted and it becomes possible to have some conversations, probably post-election around June time.

“I think, as ever, it is (a case of) watch this space.”

A major property consultancy firm, responsible for over half of science and tech space in the Oxford Cambridge Arc had called on Boris Johnson's Government to support the regions contributions to the UK economy by reimagining, rather than binning the Arc project.

Bidwells consultancy firm has claimed that the Government’s troubled Oxford Cambridge Arc project could even supercharge the global economy.

Their 'Radical Capital' report into the Ox-bridge Arc has claimed that the project, if steered correctly could “help generate unprecedented prosperity on a national and global scale.”

As the business community reacts to the news that the Oxford Cambridge Arc has been “deprioritised” by the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, Bidwells called on Government to shift its focus from thinking solely in terms of physical infrastructure.

The Arc has received backlash from environmental groups who oppose the new motorway development aspects of the plan. One local MP views the project as a trojan horse housing project. North East Bedfordshire Richard Fuller told BBC: ""I think the underpinnings of the Arc failed from the start and I hope it is being downplayed. It was a pretext for houses from the start."

The report from Bidwells property consultancy however calls on Government to reprioritise the project in order to double the regions contributions to the UK economy.

The ‘Radical Capital’ report, released by Bidwells in association with Blackstock, is the product of a collaboration between 60 professionals and experts from business, academia, real estate and the knowledge economy.

The report concluded that the possible capabilities of the Arc go beyond new road and rail networks. It stated: “The Arc’s economy – which currently accounts for seven percent of England’s economic output - could grow to £235 billion by 2030 and already supports over two million jobs.”

The Arc is of central importance to the UK national economy and is expected to contribute 11% GVA by 2050.

The report examined possible ways to “supercharge” the project via a triple helix partnership between private, public and academic sectors.

Radical Capital suggests: “The road rail and utilities systems which geographically thread together the Arc, constitute one piece of a complex ecosystem of knowledge transfer and integration which includes real estate, space of science and technology, regeneration social and digital (soft) infrastructure in addition to freight and logistics which are all equally vital to the regions productivity.

“We have failed to appreciate that connectivity is something far broader in scope than bridges beams roads and canals. In turn we’ve neglected the other golden threads which make for a stronger and more competitive arc of innovation.”

Suggestions made by the reports authors include, establishing a science and tech growth board to co-ordinate regional opportunities.

The establishment of a Arc specific promotional organisation.

In an attempt to address the significant shortage of suitable lab space in the Arc area, Radical Capital’s authors recommend the classification of any proposed regional planning application for laboratory space in excess of 50,000sq m, as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) covered by the NSIP process. 

The report also calls for the establishment of a skills task force to liaise between employers and tertiary institutions in the region.

Radical Capital concludes: “Our Grow ideas, if implemented, are intended to continue growth in the Arc along the same growth trajectory. Our Advance ideas could, if picked up, advance the economy further. 

“To Supercharge the Arc and to maximise the untapped potential for world-changing research and innovation taking place across the region, we propose six key recommendations that would help generate unprecedented prosperity on a national and global scale.”

What was the Arc project and why is it in doubt?

Primarily imagined as a road, rail and data, infrastructure project in the South of England - Oxford-Cambridge Arc - has been deprioritised by thminister responsible for its delivery.

The project has been mothballed in order that the Government refocuses its ‘levelling up’ efforts on the North of England, but what exactly was it?

Referred to in some quarters as the UK’s answer to Silicone Valley, the project sought to connect housing, manufacturing and leading universities across Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes.

The plan was to introduce new towns along the 160km stretch from Oxford to Cambridge, which is one of the UK's best performing economic regions. Departmental figures state the region contributes over £110 billion to the national economy every year.

A new rail link between Oxford and Cambridge, a key component of the plan, will still be completed. A major new road link between the towns was cancelled in March 2021.

The focus had been on making the proposed new communities among the most well connected, sustainable and environmentally friendly in the world, thereby future proofing communities and businesses from environmental changes.

According to the Department the plans would have supported the creation of over two million jobs and ensured one of the fastest growing economies in England maintained its leading position.

The central government strategic plan to upgrade sustainable infrastructure, environment and new housing developments, was also an attempt to solve housing shortages in the area.

The Department believed this was the best way to attract and retain talent, skills base and international investment through first class housing projects and vastly improved road, rail and data networks.

While the department responsible for the project The Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities is currently analysing feedback from a public consultation exercise which closed in October, early indicators from the minister is that the project has now been 'de-prioritised.'

Why was the project cancelled

The re-prioritising by government follows heavy criticism of their levelling up plans, which focused heavily on projects in the South of England.

It is understood the Conservative government feared a backlash from the North of England and risked losing the electoral gains made there. Traditionally the Northern economy has lagged behind Southern towns and regions.

Minister Gove reportedly took the decision to deprioritise the plan in order to refocus government spending and investment on projects in the North of England.

It is unclear if local authorities will now be tasked with taking the plan forward.

The FT first reported that levelling-up secretary, Michael Gove, indicated that the project was on the backburner. It was also reported that upon taking the ministerial post Gove disbanded the team tasked with delivering the Arc project.

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