Milton Park investment set to benefit from simplified planning process

By Sam Pither

19 March 2023

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Oxfordshire science and technology community Milton Park has secured an updated planning document which will boost jobs, investment opportunities and sustainability.

Vale of White Horse District Council has voted to adopt an updated Local Development Order (LDO) for the site subject to a legal agreement being finalised. Once complete this will accelerate planning approvals.

The order is expected to be adopted in the coming months. LDOs help planning authorities define the overall design of a sire and accelerate the planning process for preferred types of development while setting criteria for that development including building size and design as well as associated facilities like roads and landscaping.

The updated Milton Park LDO, which has come following consultation which included residents of nearby villages, includes plans for laboratories, offices, shops, cafes and a nursery. It would also increase floor space for businesses and allow increased building heights in certain parts of Milton Park.

The order also outlines sustainability expectations, which will see new developments reduce their carbon footprints by design and incorporate low or zero carbon technology where possible.

Before the updated LDO is formally adopted, the owner of Milton Park, MEPC, will need to enter into a legal agreement, known as Section 106, to provide financial contributions towards improved bus services, new cycle and walking pathways, health care services, and road upgrades where necessary.

Cllr Debby Hallett, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Transformation at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “I’m pleased we are taking this innovative approach to planning in Milton Park to help foster new job opportunities, boost the local economy, cut red tape for preferred development and introduce more measures to help us tackle the climate emergency.

“I want to thank everyone who had their say in last year’s community consultation for the LDO and I look forward to continue to see our vision for Milton Park come to life.”

Philip Campbell, Commercial Director at MEPC Milton Park, said: “Simplifying planning is complicated and in my view the Vale of White Horse District Council is a trail blazer for embracing this second generation of ten-day, fast-track planning. I believe the new LDO will be the most comprehensive simplified planning regime anywhere in the UK, setting the benchmark for other local authorities to follow.

“It will play a crucial part in supporting the council’s Corporate Plan and Milton Park’s 2040 Vision – a framework for guiding the Park towards innovation district status, positioning itself as one of the most flexible locations for science and technology companies to establish and grow.”

By Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset.

A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise.

Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.