Growing Places Fund
From a national fund of £500m, we received £9m to help support schemes addressing the infrastructure of Oxfordshire.
The Growing Places Fund has been designed to accelerate developments that may have stalled as a result of a restricted financial climate, to enable the creation of new jobs and homes.
Our fund is an 'Evergreen Investment Fund', allocated on a competitive basis through open calls for project proposals. Funding for this programme is fully allocated and is closed to new applications.
Below is a summary of each project supported by Growing Places Fund allocations in Oxfordshire.
- Total Project Cost: £100k
- GPF Awarded: £100k
- Delivery Partner: Oxfordshire County Council
- Project Status: Completed
Feasibility work to consider options and establish cost and timeframes for a proposed new railway bridge over the GWR mainline close to the Didcot Power station, which will enable redevelopment.
The existing bridge and associated road network is reaching capacity. A new bridge and rerouting of the A4130 is required to support the planned growth providing a reliable transport network with greater connectivity to key employment centres.
The redevelopment of Didcot Power Station A to the north and development of Valley Park to the south has provided the opportunity to deliver such a scheme.
Project impacts:
- Support the ambition of the Enterprise Zone to bring 8,000 new jobs to Oxfordshire
- Attract investment and improve economic development
- Boost housing development in the area
- Total Project Cost: £90k
- GPF Awarded: £90k
- Delivery Partner: South & Vale District Council
- Project Status: Completed
The Enterprise Zone Business Development Manager will provide the central leadership to lever in investment and the economic development of Oxfordshire’s enterprise zone.
The Manager will bring a range of partnerships together to ensure there is focused delivery that will lead to wider economic benefits for the county.
Project impacts:
- Support the ambition of the Enterprise Zone to bring 8,000 new jobs to Oxfordshire
- Attract investment and improve economic development
- Total Project Cost: £488k
- GPF Awarded: £488k
- Delivery Partner: Oxfordshire County Council
- Project Status: Completed
This project is about providing easier and greater connectivity between Enterprise Zone sites and the local area by bike, providing a key layer to the transport network which will encourage sustainable travel across the area. It includes a new cycle route along the Winnaway and adjoining roads (A4185 and A417).
It also easily connects small local businesses to the technology hubs at the Harwell Campus and Milton Park, supporting their growth and development.
Project impacts:
- Increase green connectivity to the Enterprise Zone and surrounding areas
- Support the ambition of the Enterprise Zone to bring 8,000 new jobs to Oxfordshire
- Support the development of new business space in the Enterprise Zone
- Improvements for cyclists
- Total Project Cost: £1.5m
- GPF Awarded: £1.5m
- Delivery Partner: Harwell Science & Innovation Campus and UKAEA
- Project Status: Completed
Improving accessibility within the Harwell campus - the new north-south link road (approximately 250m) linking the northern and southern ends of Eighth Street, along with a roundabout at each point of connection, a combined footway/cycleway on one side of the road, and a footway on the other side.
Additional improvements include kerbs, drainage, street lighting and landscaping.
Project impacts:
- Improvement in job creation and apprenticeships by making the site more attractive to investors
- Improved traffic flow and reduced congestion around Harwell campus
- Contribute towards the Science Vale UK growth targets of 16,000+ jobs over the next 15 years
- Support ongoing growth and development in Harwell campus
- Total Project Cost: £30k
- GPF Awarded: £30k
- Delivery Partner: Mayfield Press
- Project Status: Completed
Improvement to factory premises, allowing Mayfield Press to grow and recruit additional staff.
The funding helped towards the repair of its roof, which ran alongside additional renovation work. The extra floor space enabled the business to expand its reprographic and large format digital printing operation and has now grown to over 50 employees. This expansion has resulted in the potential to build its overseas customer base by around 10%.
Project impacts:
- 4 new full-time jobs
- Additional indirect jobs
- Support the growth of a large Oxfordshire employer
- Total Project Cost: £1.4m
- GPF Awarded: £1.4m
- Delivery Partner: Oxfordshire County Council
- Project Status: Completed
The currently disused Back Hill Lane tunnel has been renovated and reopened, with a new foot and cycle path beneath the railway, new signal-controlled junction and toucan crossing on the A4130, and a foot-and-cycle path connecting the Enterprise Zone to the new junction.
The new path is lit to minimise light pollution for local wildlife and have a shared tarmac track for cyclists and pedestrians.
The project dramatically improves access and safety for pedestrians and cyclists between the developments on either side of the railway, reducing journey times for pedestrians by 20 minutes. It also gives a direct link for pedestrians to bus routes and local businesses, encouraging more people to walk and cycle instead of using their cars releasing additional capacity to the highway network.
Project impacts:
- Improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians
- New green connectivity around Milton Park
- Improved traffic flow and reduced congestion around Milton Park
- Improvement in job creation and apprenticeships by making the site more attractive to investors
- Open up development land south of the A4130
- Dramatically improve access and safety for pedestrians and cyclists
- Total Project Cost: £140k
- GPF Awarded: £140k
- Delivery Partner: Reaction Engines Ltd
- Project Status: Completed
The funding has enabled Reaction Engines to set up a QA department for the jet/rocket engine prototype, and support business growth in Oxfordshire's Space Sector.
Reaction Engines Ltd is now at the forefront of a pioneering high-tech programme. The business has made a breakthrough in aerospace technology and is developing SABRE, a hybrid jet/rocket engine that will be used to propel a new Skylon launcher into low earth orbit by 2020. This will pave the way for a new generation of space planes that are lighter, reusable and can take off and land from conventional runways which will revolutionise the space industry.
Project impacts:
- 2 new full-time jobs
- Additional indirect jobs
- Total Project Cost: £150k
- GPF Awarded: £150k
- Delivery Partner: Saietta Group
- Project Status: Completed
The re-development of buildings at Heyford Park to bring back into active use, and the development of a prototype and production facility on site for the production of high performance advanced electric motorcycles and drive technology.
The project supported the capital investment into production equipment at their site. The project significantly increased production capability, and will lead to creation of new full time roles.
Project impacts:
- 40 new full-time jobs
- Development of new business, office and production space at Heyford Park
- Total Project Cost: £320k
- LGF Awarded: £320k
- Delivery Partner: Oxford City Council
- Project Status: Completed – 40 buildings now providing free wireless hotspots
Funding for the delivery of wireless hotspots in key visitor sites in Oxford city, as part of the Super Connected Oxford project. Super Connected Oxford will improve broadband and wireless connectivity across the city, and lead to a more connected and competitive city with particular benefits to the visitor economy. A more connected city and smart city is a key message for growth and inward investment.
Hotspot locations: Ashmolean Museum, Museum of Natural History, Pitt Rivers Museum, Museum of History and Science, The Oxfordshire History Centre – together attracting more than 4m visitors per year.
Project impacts:
- A more connected and competitive city
- Improvements to key tourism sites in the city
- Enable Oxford to compete on a global stage with other cities
- Support economic growth in the city, particularly the creative and publishing sector
- Total Project Cost: £2.1m
- GPF Awarded: £2.1m
- Delivery Partner: Oxfordshire County Council
- Project Status: Completed
An extension of the Better Broadband for Oxfordshire (BBfO) programme, enabling all businesses in the Enterprise Zone to access super-fast broadband.
This has increased the global competitiveness of the Enterprise Zone, supporting a wide range of business requirements with flexible cost and service options.
Project impacts:
- Improved broadband connectivity in the Enterprise Zone
- Improvement in job creation and apprenticeships by making the Enterprise Zone more attractive to investors
- Support the growth of new business space in the Enterprise Zone
For more information, contact Sarah Watson Programme Manager for Major Projects
Capital programmes
Governance details
Please visit the below links to see further details relating to our governance processes and procedures, as well as our role with the Future Oxfordshire Partnership.