Oxfordshire Infrastructure Strategy (OXIS)

Project Update

July 2017

AIMS AND PURPOSE OF OXIS

OXIS Aims:

• To set out the priority infrastructure investment needed to support jobs and housing growth in Oxfordshire

• To shape & influence investment strategies and plans at a national, sub- regional and local level

OXIS Purpose:

• Prioritise the delivery of different types of infrastructure;

• Maximise the use of available and planned infrastructure capacity;

• Make better informed choices about the location of future growth;

• Better position Oxfordshire in funding and investment discussions with government;

• Improve the quality and content of bids for external funding;

• Inform and enhance strategic developer funding negotiations;

• Facilitate dialogue with communities, developers and key stakeholders on the impact of growth.

• Demonstrate the attractiveness of Oxfordshire as a business investment location;

• Sell the Oxfordshire ‘brand’ within the wider England’s Economic Heartland (EEH) context as well as within the sub-national, national and international contexts;

PROJECT SCOPE & PARAMETERS

Timeframes:

2016 to 2040:

• Known Planning Horizon:

• 2016-2021

• 2021-2026

• 2026-2031

• Unknown Planning Horizon:

• Post 2031 ( 2040+ )

Infrastructure Scope:

Scope focusing on

Strategic Infrastructure >

PROGRAMME

• Stage 1 Report (infrastructure evidence base) – October 2016 to April 2017

• Stage 2 (prioritisation of infrastructure) – May to July 2017

• Stakeholder and Public Engagement – July to September 2017

• Growth Board Strategy Approval – 26th September 2017

STAGE 1 HIGHLIGHTS Housing Growth Sites

STAGE 1 HIGHLIGHTS Employment Growth Sites

STAGE 1 HIGHLIGHTS Infrastructure Project Schedule

• Stage 1 output produced from a number of sources

• List of all infrastructure projects identified as critical and essential to support the assessed scale of housing and economic growth to 2040.

• Key Information recorded:

– Infrastructure type – Geography and location – Project status – Description of project – Delivery responsibilities – Timing of Requirement – Estimated Project Costs – Secured Funding – Estimated Potential Funding

• Output provides stage 2 with building blocks to highlight investment priorities to support growth

STAGE 1 HIGHLIGHTS Costs and Funding Review

Headlines:

• 2016 – 2040 infrastructure costs: circa £9 billion

• 2016 – 2040 identified funding : £500 million (limited to secured transport and flood defence)

• Further potential funding sources and private sector delivery (utilities)

• Funding Gap will reduce but still be considerable

• Variation in planning horizons and planning approach by infrastructure providers

OXIS STAGE 2 PRIORITISATION Why do we need to prioritise the infrastructure investment?

• Limited public sector funding and developer contributions available resulting in a gap in funding

• Need to extract the most value and efficiencies from the limited funding we have available.

• A need to prioritise investment that directly support sites that will deliver the required economic and housing growth

• To demonstrate to government and funding providers that the investment priorities are clear for Oxfordshire

OXIS STAGE 2 PRIORITISATION Prioritisation Process

• Stage 1 Identified all infrastructure to support growth and consolidated into a project schedule

• Developed spatial grouping of investment (Regional, countywide and growth corridors)

• Developed prioritisation criteria for consideration

• Tested Spatial grouping and draft prioritisation criteria with Stakeholders (Local Authority and infrastructure provider workshops in March 2017)

• Outputs reviewed by Project steering group with further sense check prior to stakeholder and public engagement.

OXIS STAGE 2 PRIORITISATION Scale of Investment Priorities

1. Regional Infrastructure:

• Of National or Regional importance

• Crossing or adjoining Oxfordshire and impacting upon its residents, businesses and environment.

2. Countywide Infrastructure:

• Of Countywide importance,

• Crossing multiple local authorities

3. Local Infrastructure:

• Focused within concentrations or corridors of growth

• OXIS focusing on areas of growth as opposed to each local authority boundary.

• Focused on Projects required to deliver or safeguard specific sites and areas across Oxfordshire

GROWTH CORRIDOR PROFILES Corridors of Growth & Investment

• Corridors of Growth & Investment:

1. Knowledge Spine North

2. Knowledge Spine South

3. A44 Corridor

4. A4074 Corridor

5. A40 Corridor

6. A420 Corridor

7. A4260 Corridor

8. Oxford

9. M40 Thame Area

LOCAL GROWTH CORRIDORS Example - Knowledge Spine North

• Key Growth Sites include:

o North West Bicester / South West Bicester / South East Bicester / Graven Hill

o Former RAF Upper Heyford

o Land East of Oxford Road / Land West of Oxford Road

o Employment - South East Bicester / Former RAF Upper Heyford / Bicester Business Park / Bicester Gateway

• Infrastructure Schemes include:

o London Road Level crossing

o Bicester Sustainable Transport Strategy

o South East Perimeter Road

NEXT STEPS

Engagement:

• Invitation for wider stakeholder groups to include, amongst others, environmental groups (CPRE etc) and representatives of business to attend an event to talk to the project team

• Online – via Growth Board web pages at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/growthboard

Stage 2 Strategy Document:

• Report findings of Stage 2 Process

• Build upon Stage 1 Technical Report

• Introduce approach towards Prioritisation

• Present Regional, Countywide and Growth Corridor Infrastructure Priorities to support growth

• Highlight potential investment needed and scale of funding challenge with potential options to address challenge.