On day 2 of UKREiiF, I attended a fascinating session on unlocking the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.
The message was clear: Central and local government are serious about playing their part alongside developers, investors and higher education bodies to make things happen! Collaborative partnerships were a strong theme.
From Anglian Water working with local planning authorities to unlock the development of new homes via British Land, to the vital role of universities like Cranfield bringing innovation and technology to the fore via further education, including level 7 apprenticeships, the discussion had it all. The recurring theme was partnerships through collaboration.
Gareth Roberts from British Land was optimistic on capital markets but was clear that more work had to be done to encourage occupational demand post-COVID, and that efficient policymaking would play a key role in creating more certainty for investors.
Dr Andy Williams was an excellent Chair and put great emphasis on marketing the brilliance of the region on the world platform through promoting a compelling narrative to an already well-known brand in Cambridge and Oxford.
There was, of course, an opportunity for a ‘questions and answers’ session, with a variety of discussion points, including encouragement of speculative development by developers and investors with a long-term view to unconstraining Cambridge and Oxford to the wider region via Milton Keynes and Bedford. Infrastructure will play a pivotal role in unlocking this.
This session was a timely reminder that the arc’s future depends on vision, our ability to work across sectors and turn ambition into action.
