Milton Park, the UK’s largest single ownership innovation community for science and technology, is poised to support thousands of new jobs sustainably. The news follows the adoption of a refreshed LDO (Local Development Order) enabled by the completion of a Section 106 (S106) planning agreement, which focuses on green travel.
The LDO, which has now been adopted by the Vale of White Horse District Council, will enable the delivery of flexible laboratories, offices and amenities.
Now formally adopted, it permits Milton Park to grow to a total of 4.2 million sq ft and can fast-track planning approvals to just ten days, supporting its long-term strategic 2040 Vision to become a 24/7 hub for innovation and aligning with the period of the new Joint Local Plan.
The LDO makes the planning process nearly nine times faster for Milton Park’s occupiers to capitalise on growth opportunities, with the agreement believed to be the UK’s first data-driven, green travel-focussed S106.
Under the refreshed LDO, S106 highway infrastructure commitments are triggered by the objective measurement of vehicular traffic levels entering the Park, rather than the level of occupied floorspace. As part of their shared ambition to continue to encourage green travel, Oxfordshire County Council, and Milton Park have installed VivaCity AI-powered computer vision sensors to monitor traffic flows, providing real-time anonymised data on movement patterns.
The LDO will incentivise greener methods of travel, with contributions towards public investment in bus services in support of the ongoing partnership with Thames Travel, alongside new cycle and walking pathways, healthcare services and road upgrades.
As well as enabling Milton Park to provide more options for renewable energy, a range of local green infrastructure projects will also be explored. Under the S106, and subject to feasibility, Milton Park will provide over £2m of funding to enable Oxfordshire County Council to bring forward a new cycle path to Steventon, which will bypass the Milton Interchange, and a cycle link between Sutton Courtenay and Abingdon (Cycle Route 5).
The refreshed LDO will minimise the carbon footprint of future development by prioritising the retrofitting, reimagining and repurposing of existing buildings and incorporating low or zero carbon energy technology. It will encourage biodiversity net gain (BNG) initiatives through ecological strategies and include provisions for electric vehicle charging points and eco-friendly infrastructure.
The previous Milton Park (2012) LDO facilitated circa 1,000 jobs and enabled the delivery of 734k sq ft of development across 80 predevelopment notifications. This equates to an estimated 1,000 days of planning over a decade, which would have taken 8,900 days without the agreement in place.
Philip Campbell, Commercial Director at MEPC Milton Park, said, “Simplifying planning and section 106 agreements is hugely complicated, but it’s been a real privilege to work with both councils to update the LDO. The agreement fulfills a shared vision to deliver the UK’s first green-travel-focused simplified planning agreement, renewing our commitment to ongoing investment in the Oxfordshire bus network through our partnership with Thames Travel. It’s a prime example of what can be achieved through effective public-private sector collaboration.
“Our mission is to continue to support organisations whatever their size within the region, to facilitate innovation and boost the economy. Coupled with our single ownership model and plentiful power provision, the new LDO will allow us to continue to do this and drive greener growth for decades to come.”
Advisors involved in the delivery of the LDO process include: Pro Vision (planning), Meeting Place (PR and marketing), Perkins & Will (masterplanning), Ensafe (air quality, noise and lighting), Ramboll (drainage and utilities), RPS (heritage), ASA Landscapes (landscape), Tyler Grange (biodiversity) and Systra (transport).
