Bloombridge acquired 16 acres of land next to London Oxford Airport for our partner, Hill Street Holdings Ltd. Whilst Green Belt, we felt that the land had potential for Stage 2 technology and R&D space.
We promoted the land through the local plan process, attending the examination in public in 2015. We presented what we described as a compelling case and undertook extensive lobbying. This achieved policy support for the technology park, but left open the Green Belt review. We therefore submitted an outline planning application to endorse the case, which was supported by Cherwell District Council, achieving planning permission in 2016 for approximately 400,000 sq ft. This was the first major release from the Oxford Green Belt in many years.
The Premier Inn started on site in 2018, rapidly followed by a series of ‘tech-box’ hybrid units, and the Innovation Quarter, letting at about 80,000 sq ft per annum. The technology park will be fully built out by the end of 2025 so we are now turning our minds to Phase 2, that seeks to maximise the linkages between the University’s Begbroke Science Park, London Oxford Airport and the Langford Lane Business Area, all as part of the wider ‘Science North’ economic cluster.
For further details, please visit the Oxford Technology Park website.