FUTURE CITIES FORUMTM

Image: CGI of the re-modelled Euston Tower - courtesy of British Land / 3XN Architects Future Cities Forum is delighted that Tim Downes, Development Director at British Land, will be contributing to our 'Sustainability and tall buildings' forum this March at EY's More London HQ by the Thames. The forum will look at investment in office, science and housing in city districts and whether it is more sustainable to build tall towers for density than follow the more traditional su

Image: view over housing and commercial science and business parks at Cowley east Oxford - close to the BMW Mini plant (courtesy ARC / Advanced Research Clusters) Future Cities Forum is delighted that Professor Dave Valler, Professor of Spatial Planning and Research Lead in the School of the Built Environment at Oxford Brookes University, will be contributing to our 'Science Cities' forum at Oxford Science Park this April. Professor Valler has been involved in the Oxford-Camb

Image: Radcliffe Square, Oxford Oxford City Council reports that leaders from the six Fast Growth Cities group have written to Government urging action to be taken to provide a £21bn boost for UK GVA over the next decade. Council leaders of the Fast Growth Cities group – comprised of Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Oxford, Peterborough, and Swindon – have written to the Government urging action to be taken to unlock £21bn of growth for the UK economy over the next decade.

Image: CGI of proposed EXOq development on land to the north of the city of Oxford (courtesy Exeter College Oxford) Future Cities Forum is delighted that Nicholas Badman, Bursar of Exeter College, Oxford, will be contributing to our April discussion event at The Oxford Science Park. The forum will carry forward our previous science cities discussions on the expansion of science parks and knowledge quarters as well as the development of house-building and connected infrastruct

Image: courtesy of LDA Design. Future Cities Forum is delighted that LDA Design's Director David Bell will be joining our 'New Towns and the Growth Corridor' discussion at the offices of Milton Keynes City Council this March. David is a chartered town planner with over 10 years’ professional experience. He has been with LDA Design for more than eight years, initially based in the Exeter office and now working in Oxford. He is currently working on a range of projects of differ

Image: Reading Station - courtesy Grimshaw Grimshaw is hosting Future Cities Forum this April in London for our 'Infrastructure 2026' forum which will look at how the UK government intends to act on last year's promises for investment into major transport projects including the Lower Thames Crossing - as well as improving water supply such as the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP), green energy and further developing spatial and place-based strategies for the UK'

Image: Naomi Green, Chief Executive - courtesy of England's Economic Heartland Future Cities Forum is delighted that Naomi Green, Managing Director of England's Economic Heartland, is joining our 'New Towns and the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor' forum at Milton Keynes City Council in March. Naomi joined England's Economic Heartland in 2018 and in March 2022 became its Managing Director, responsible for delivering the sub-national transport body's work programme. This inclu

Oxford City Council is reporting that council leaders in Swindon and Oxfordshire have welcomed the positive response from Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, confirming the Government’s support for progressing a two‑hourly direct rail service between Swindon and Oxford. The regular rail link would build on a successful Saturday trial, which saw Great Western Railway operate direct Saturday services between Bristol Temple Meads and Oxford that call at Swindon. Oxford City Council

Image: Bristol Temple Meads station, the original head-quarters of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Great Western Railway is undergoing a major transformation programme by Network Rail which will support the development of Bristol Temple Quarter as a major innovation district Future Cities Forum has been watching transport developments in the West of England, following its forum in Bristol last October with the West of England Combined Authority's Chief Executive Stephen Peacock co

Image: Birmingham City FC's Powerhouse Stadium in east Birmingham will benefit from a new tram line (courtesy Heatherwick Studio and Manica) Funding to kickstart work on a tram line to the new Birmingham City Powerhouse Stadium and upgrade railway stations serving Villa Park has been approved by regional transport chiefs, according to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Mayor Richard Parker and the WMCA Board agreed to advance £50 million to accelerate early work suc