Oxford City Council to speak at 'Science Cities'

Image: Oxford's Cornmarket undergoing regeneration as The Clarendon Centre on right is remodelled for commercial office and laboratory space (courtesy Future Cities Forum)

Future Cities Forum is delighted that Clive Tritton, Interim Director, Regeneration, Economy and Sustainability at Oxford City Council will be speaking at 'Science Cities' this week ay Jesus College.

Clive has thirty years of experience in regeneration – with the last fifteen years as a social enterprise CEO and Chief Officer in Local Government.

He says:

'Oxford is such an amazing place with huge economic strengths and opportunities, but the city also faces significant challenges in ensuring that future growth is both inclusive and sustainable.'

Clive will be talking about why the UK government wants to back Oxford. He says it is vital that Oxford represents UK PLC. Affordable housing and employment he says is key to inclusive growth:

'How do we supercharge the city's brand so that Oxford is world-class? I think this may mean unlocking a decent chunk of the green belt, which I admit is very controversial. Alternative is to try and spread growth across Oxfordshire, but it is difficult to do this with the requirement for additional transport links. I think there is a big question around allowing density and heights of buildings and a further question on how we can prevent the destruction of heritage in the city. We need to attract investment and be sustainable and we are also keen to have some kind of land value capture financial model to invest in infrastructure.'

Last month, Oxford City Council reported on the Oxford Growth Commission's interim report, highlighting the benefits of focusing growth in and around Oxford.

It stated:

'This would ensure the economic, social, and environmental advantages of clustering businesses, communities, and new homes together and close to existing infrastructure are maximised. The City Council also welcomes and fully supports the report’s push for Green Belt release to achieve this.  

'This approach should enable Oxford’s housing demand to be met locally, meaning homes for the city would not need to be built in more rural areas, further from transport infrastructure and amenities. 

'The report also makes the case that this focus on growth in and around the city would encourage more inward investment and accelerated innovation within the sectors Oxford is already world-leading in - such as life sciences, AI and clean energy. Building close to the city, rather than dispersing development more widely, would also reduce pressure on rural areas, cut commuting distances, and support a greener future. 

'The Commission identifies areas for further development within Oxford and just outside the current city boundaries, alongside the ongoing improvements to Oxford Station and surrounding public realm. The growth areas include Oxford West End, Oxford East, the Cowley Branch Line, Oxford Parkway Station and Kidlington.   

'The interim report also highlights the need for strong, coordinated delivery mechanisms and governance to accelerate housing and infrastructure projects.  

'Oxford City Council strongly supports the Oxford Growth Commission’s interim findings and agrees that a bold approach is essential to achieve the scale of ambition it sets out.'