Dozens of Oxfordshire’s property professionals gathered today (15 January) as the second-annual Oxfordshire Property Festival and Awards were officially launched at Harwell Campus.
Last year, hundreds of people took part in the county’s first major property and development festival and – for a second-year running – the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) has announced it would be partnering with organisers UK Property Forums ahead of the event on 11 April.
The 2018 festival centred around two of Oxford’s most-famous locations – the Bodleian Library and Corpus Christi College – featuring walks, property discussions and debate, awards and music. This year’s festival and awards are expected to take on a similar format, with the awards being held at another of Oxford’s stand-out colleges, Keeble College.
Full details on the festival are set to be announced in due course.
Categories for this year’s awards include; the Best Property Consultant/Agent/Estate Agent, Best Use of Land and an award for overall Project of the Year.
The festival will again be an opportunity for delegates to focus on the changing landscape of the Oxfordshire property scene, with key representatives attending from across a number of sectors.
Each festival talk is set to feature a panel of carefully-selected representatives, all with key roles within the Oxfordshire economy or property scene.
Tuesday’s event also kick-starts the awards nomination process too. Nominations are set to close on 8 March at 5pm.
Nigel Tipple – OxLEP Chief Executive – said: “We are delighted to once again be partnering with UK Property Forums to showcase the world-class investment opportunities that exist across Oxfordshire, as well as celebrating property success within the county at the same time.
“With a £23bn GVA per year, one of just three net County contributors to the exchequer, and a number of outstanding, globally-significant assets – including being home to the number one 2018 Times Higher Education’s globally-ranked university and the largest concentration of science research facilities anywhere in Western Europe – there is much for us to shout about.”
Matthew Battle – Managing Director at UK Property Forums – added: “The Oxfordshire Property Festival once again gives us a great opportunity to recognise the diverse range of highly-impressive projects that exist across the Oxfordshire property market.
“The relationship between the land, growth and design is fascinating – and in many respects, Oxfordshire is at the forefront of this national debate.
“We were really excited to have created such a successful event last year and we are again really pleased to brings all parts of the property community together once again.”
Angus Horner, Partner and Director of Harwell Campus, said: “It’s a delight to host the launch of Oxfordshire Property Festival at Harwell.
“The Festival gives us a chance to acknowledge the important contribution that commercial development makes in maintaining Oxfordshire’s standing as a global knowledge economy hot spot that feeds growth throughout the UK and abroad. “
For more information on the property festival and awards, go to: oxpropfest.com.
Pictured: UK Property Forum's Matthew Battle at the 2018 Oxfordshire Property Festival
