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A unique opportunity for living, Bicester working and business growth Garden Town Introduction

Bicester is well-established as a great place to live, work and grow your business. It is an attractive, affordable market town with first-class amenities, surrounded by beautiful countryside. And it benefits from excellent connectivity – to and , the Knowledge Spine and world-leading industry clusters.

But that is just the starting point. Bicester is about to undergo carefully planned growth that presents a host of opportunities for new residents and high- Councillor Barry Wood value businesses. This expansion will be Leader, Council ambitious, including thousands of homes and large-scale employment sites. But above all it will be sustainable, creating a great environment for living and working, in line with Garden Town principles. BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER Thank you for your interest in Bicester Garden This prospectus sets out the Town – a place that is opportunities for residents and companies created by Bicester’s making headlines for all growth as a Garden Town. We hope the right reasons. you are inspired.

Contents

4 A vision for sustainable growth 6 Superbly connected 8 At the heart of the knowledge economy 10 A great place to live and work 12 An outstanding business location 14 Bicester’s new developments 16 What businesses say 18 Contact the team 18 Sources

3 A vision for sustainable growth Bicester

Bicester is a bustling Oxfordshire market In 2014, Bicester was granted Garden town, ideally located just 15 miles from Town status by the UK government, in Key and half way between London recognition of its ambitious vision for and Birmingham. And it is special, holistic, sustainable growth. It is a vision because Bicester represents a unique that embraces ground-breaking self- opportunity for sustainable living, working build and zero-carbon communities, Town Centre and business growth. high-tech business parks and a vibrant town centre, linked together by green The economy of the Oxford area is corridors for walkers and cyclists. It Communities thriving, based on strengths in knowledge encompasses new sports, leisure and sectors including life sciences, high- retail facilities, and services including a performance engineering and higher hospital, town centre library and schools, Businesses education. And Bicester, with space to all supported by enhanced transport BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER expand and superb transport links, has infrastructure. been selected to meet the area’s needs Mixed – Communities for new residential communities and It is a vision for a prosperous, sustainable & Businesses business locations. By 2031, Bicester is and connected community, where projected to deliver 13,000 new homes people can enjoy living and working, and and up to 18,500 new jobs, focused where businesses can flourish and grow. on high-value, high-technology Tourism and Businesses industry sectors.1

A vision for a prosperous, sustainable and connected community, where people can enjoy living and working, and where businesses can flourish and grow

4 5 Superbly connected

For residents and businesses alike, few Bicester’s epithet, ‘the crossroads places in the UK are as well-connected of Central ’, is perhaps more as Bicester. fitting today than ever. The town provides the strategic link between the The town’s strategic location, on the Oxfordshire Knowledge Spine and the and the London to Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, Birmingham and Oxford railways, connecting the world-leading university means that both the UK’s capital and cities. Major infrastructure investments second cities can be reached within are underway to develop the corridor just one hour. London Heathrow as a cost-effective, high-tech business and Birmingham airports, and the location. These include East-West capital’s Eurostar terminal, are Rail – via Bicester – and the Oxford- equally accessible, providing Bicester Cambridge Expressway. residents with comprehensive global connectivity. Bicester provides distinctive location benefits for families, too. As well as More locally, Bicester is at the heart an excellent quality of life, the town BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER of Oxfordshire’s knowledge economy. enables easy access to local towns Oxford can be reached in just 15 and cities including Oxford and Milton Time By To/From minutes and the research parks of Keynes, offering a comprehensive < 15 mins Oxford Science Vale in around half an hour. range of amenities. And for the outdoor Bicester’s motorway-linked location life, the Area of Outstanding London Oxford delivers unique advantages for Natural Beauty is right on Bicester’s Key < 30 mins The Cotswolds businesses, including fast access to doorstep. southern England’s deep-sea ports.2 City London Airport Birmingham < 1 hour Port London Heathrow Internation Rail Terminal Birmingham

World Top-10 Ranked University Southampton (Deep Sea) < 2 hours Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty Portsmouth (Ferry) Motorway < 2.30 Dover (Ferry) Major Road hours Felixstowe (Deep Sea) Key Rail Routes From Bicester Brussels East-West Rail < 4 hours Paris Route To Be Confirmed

6 7 Key Cambridge City/Town Silverstone Cranfield Leading Research University Research/ Technology Park Oxfordshire Knowledge Spine At the heart of London Oxford Oxford-Cambridge Science Park Growth Corridor Begbroke Science Park Motorsport Valley Oxford Cluster the knowledge A34 Golden Triangle Life Sciences Cluster Science Vale Harwell Motorway economy Major Road East-West Rail UCL Imperial

Bicester’s strategic location provides centres including the Transport businesses and residents with Systems Catapult, WMG and the unrivalled access to globally significant Manufacturing Technology Centre.5 high-technology clusters. The Oxford-London-Cambridge Life Centred on the world’s No.1-ranked Sciences Golden Triangle incorporates university3, the Oxfordshire Knowledge four world top-10 ranked universities6, Spine is internationally recognised for research centres including Oxford No. 1112873 technology research, innovation and Academic Health Science Centre, The commercialisation. Research centres Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research The is The Knowledge Spine is home Oxford University Innovation of excellence include the Culham UK, and companies including Genzyme, ranked No.1 in the world overall to eleven ‘Big Science Centres4 managed 2,873 patents and 7 Centre for Fusion Energy, the Diamond GSK and Illumina. (THE, 2018)3 patent applications in 20168 Synchrotron, the Satellite Applications BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER Catapult and Begbroke Science Park.4 Technology companies already benefiting from Bicester’s ideal location Motorsport Valley is a world-leading include Toro Rosso (F1 team), DRG High-Performance Technologies Abacus and Cherwell Laboratories. cluster, incorporating six Formula 1 No. 16 4 teams, businesses including Prodrive, Cosworth and Mercedes, and research Recognised as the world’s No.1 Home to six Formula 1 teams Home to four High-Performance Motorsport technology cluster9 and two F1 team research Technology-focused Catapult centres5 Research Centres10

452300+

Four world top-10 ranked Home to five of the UK’s six 2,300+ life sciences companies universities – in Oxford, Academic Health Science in the greater South East London and Cambridge6 Centres7 England cluster7

8 9 UK Prosperity Index 201611 Social Capital Economic Quality Health

A great Top 3% Top 20% Top 30% place to live Cherwell District rankings. Index compares all UK Local Authority Areas. Education: Pupil Attainment 201512 Primary – % Achieving Level 4 in Reading, GCSE – % Achieving 5+ GCSEs inc. English and A-Level – % Achieving 3+ A Levels (A* – E) and work Writing and Maths Maths (A* – C)

For residents, Bicester is all about a Sustainable Living great quality of life, both now and in the future. Bicester’s growth has been planned holistically, to create a single, The town centre offers charming connected and cohesive whole Housing Affordability streets, a variety of shops, restaurants made up of new and established and cafes, and modern, high-quality communities. Cherwell Oxfordshire Oxford London amenities including a multi-screen Average cinema. The town’s retail offer is further The town’s new residential areas House Price13 £295,000 £359,000 £413,000 £724,000 enhanced by the designer boutiques of include the UK’s largest self-build (June 2017) . site and a leading-edge zero-carbon Cost Comparison eco town. Sustainability, green (vs. Cherwell) – +22% +40% +145% Bicester is surrounded by beautiful infrastructure and local services are BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER Housing countryside and places to visit - the consistent themes across the town’s Affordability Ratio14 Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace and new housing developments (see page (Multiple of average 9.3 10.6 11.8 14.4 historic market towns like Chipping 14 for further details). earnings) Norton and Woodstock. Oxford, ‘the city of dreaming spires’, is High-quality new facilities, including equally accessible, with its stunning a sports village, hospital, library and As a place to live, the numbers add up The Oxford area is prosperous, with higher income and architecture, museums, art galleries schools, are an important feature of for Bicester. lower unemployment than both the South East and national and open spaces. And within Bicester Bicester’s carefully planned expansion. averages.15 But prosperity is about more than wealth. In the itself, Bicester Heritage holds unique Combined with space for business House prices in Cherwell district (in which Bicester is 2016 UK Prosperity Index, Cherwell ranks in the top 3% of events for classic car and aircraft growth, the town presents an ideal located) are significantly lower than the Oxfordshire, UK districts for Social Capital – an indicator of community enthusiasts. opportunity to live and work in one Oxford and London averages.13 In Bicester’s schools, pupil cohesion – as well as achieving high rankings for Health and congenial location. attainment levels exceed those for Oxfordshire and England, Economic Quality.11 at primary, GCSE and A-level.12

For residents, Bicester is all about a great quality of life, both now and in the future

10 11 An outstanding business location

For high-value and high-technology But direct access to world-class businesses, Bicester presents an industry clusters – including outstanding location opportunity. Motorsport Valley and the Life Sciences Golden Triangle – means World-Leading Knowledge Clusters The town’s proximity to Oxford, more than just the very best people. Knowledge Sector Workforce Concentrations vs. Great Britain Averages (Oxford Area) 16 17 18 19 20 and position within the Oxfordshire It means proximity to entire Knowledge Spine, provides access to ecosystems of science parks, R&D Scientific R&D Higher Education Life Sciences Automotive concentrations of specialist workers – infrastructure, supply chains and a key indicator of knowledge clustering universities. – that are outstanding internationally, 5.7 x 5.3 x 3.3 x 2.5 x not just in the UK. Within this world-class region, Bicester offers a clear advantage as a Location Quotients for Oxford Travel to Work Area, which includes Bicester. Great Britain average = 1.0 BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER In Scientific Research and business location. That’s because the Development16, Higher Education17, Bicester area contains more than 130 Outstanding Skills Levels 18 19 Life Sciences and Automotive , hectares of land allocated for growing % of Workforce Qualified to NVQ Level 4 or Higher21 % of Employees in ‘Professional Occupations’ 22 the Oxford area has concentrations companies.23 As every business person of highly skilled workers that are up knows, increased supply usually means to five times the Great Britain lower prices. In Bicester, this can mean average.20 In percentage terms, the significant property cost savings versus area offers more workers qualified ‘knowledge hub’ locations including to NVQ Level 4 or above than either Oxford and Cambridge. London or Cambridge21, and more in ‘professional occupations’ than London Data applies to Oxford and Cambridge Travel to Work Areas and London and South East Regions. or the South East. 22 Land for Business Growth 23 Significant Property Cost Savings24 25 Prime Industrial Rents

Offices High-Tech Units Within this world-class region,

Bicester offers a clear advantage More than Industrial 130 Hectares Distribution as a business location (321 Acres) £ per sq. ft. per annum

12 13 Bicester’s new New commercial developments Bicester presents a range of site and property solutions for high-value and high- technology businesses seeking to expand within the Oxfordshire Knowledge Spine. In the Bicester area, around 150 hectares of land has been allocated for developments employment uses including office (Class B1), industrial (Class B2) and distribution (Class B8).

A1 Network Bicester is a 50-acre E Bicester Office Park will provide up H Link 9 is a 36-acre site offering site with plans for sustainable, to 500,000 sq. ft. of prestigious office bespoke HQ, production and low-density, bespoke development space (architect-designed buildings distribution facilities, to specific to accommodate HQ, manufacturing, from 35,000 sq. ft.) in a landscaped occupier requirements, from 80,000 R&D and distribution activities. environment close to Bicester town sq. ft. (B1, B2, B8) A G (B1, B2, B8) centre. (B1) www.link9.co.uk www.albionland.co.uk/schemes-network- www.bicesterofficepark.com bicester.html Bicester H

A1 C Graven Hill will be a high-quality F Bicester Gateway Phase 1 offers development comprising one million high-quality office space, from 10,000 sq. ft. of office, industrial and logistics sq. ft., on an 8 acre site. Phase 2 will accommodation on a 26 hectare cover an additional 40 acres. The site B site, with potential for a rail freight will also include a 150-bed hotel. (C1) interchange. (B1, B2, B8) www.bloombridge.com/bicester_gateway.html New residential developments E D Bicester’s innovative Garden Town D Wretchwick Green is a 40-hectare G Bicester Heritage is a 348-acre BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER F developments have been designed with site allocated for mixed commercial former airfield. Development plans careful attention to sustainability, green C and residential development. Land include growth of the site’s classic spaces, excellent transport links and is allocated for potential distribution, vehicles engineering cluster. Phase 4 local facilities including schools, shops, industrial and office uses. (B8, B2, B1) of the site comprises 30,000 sq. ft. of playgrounds and community centres. www.wretchwickgreen.co.uk business premises. www.bicesterheritage.co.uk

A Elmsbrook is phase one of Bicester C Graven Hill is the largest self-build eco-town at NW Bicester, the UK’s site in the UK, with individual plots first truly zero-carbon community, surrounding the ancient, wooded hill incorporating the latest green energy that gives the area its name. technologies. www.gravenhill.co.uk 1. BLUE SKY www.fabrica.co.uk/elmsbrook www.nwbicester.co.uk

B Kingsmere is a new community D Wretchwick Green will be a with local facilities including retail and sustainable housing development play areas, schools, a sports village and with substantial green infrastructure, enhanced habitats for wildlife. including a continuous wildlife corridor. kingsmere-bicester.com www.wretchwickgreen.co.uk

14 15 Bicester is an exciting place to be at the moment and a great place to grow your business. There is a high level of local skills What and it is easy to tap into local networks. If you want to be part of the Oxfordshire Knowledge Spine why wouldn’t you businesses say come here? Phil Shadbolt OBE, Chairman

The Zeta Group www.zetaled.co.uk

Bicester was originally chosen as the location for Cherwell Laboratories because it is within easy reach of London. The business has stayed because it is in an attractive part of the county and in a central location well served by transport links with easy access to the rest of the UK.

Andy Whittard, Managing Director BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER

Cherwell Laboratories Ltd www.cherwell-labs.co.uk

When setting up UV Integration in 2000 we primarily looked for an area where we could attract a high level of skills. Bicester is a great choice – with very high percentages of workers with higher skills and degrees. I also appreciate rural tranquillity and a location which gives easy access to the motorway network. Adrian Lockwood, Founder & CEO

Integration Technology Ltd uvintegration.com

16 17 Contact the team

To find out more about living, working or growing your business in Bicester, please contact:

The Economic Growth team Maria Curran, Cherwell District Council Garden Town Delivery Manager Cherwell District Council +44 (0)1295 221866 [email protected] +44 (0)1295 221638 [email protected]

We look forward to being of assistance. BICESTER GARDEN TOWN BICESTER

Sources

1. Cherwell Local Plan, 2011-2031. Cherwell DC 15. ONS 2015/2016 2. Google Maps, Sept 2017. (Off-peak drive times) 16. SIC 72, ONS BRES, 2015 3. THE World University Rankings, 2018 17. SIC 854, ONS BRES, 2015 4. The Oxfordshire Innovation Engine, SQW 2013 18. SICs 72110, 21, 266 & 325, ONS BRES, 2015 5. Sources include DIT (UK govt.), 2017 19. SIC 29, ONS BRES, 2015 6. QS World University Rankings 2018 20. Location Quotients (LQs) measure the ratio of local sector workforce numbers to the Great Britain 7. Medcity average (represented by an LQ of 1) 8. Oxford University Innovation 21. ONS APS, 2017 9. E.g. M. Porter, Harvard BS, quoted by SQW, 2016 22. % SOC2, ONS APS, 2017 10. Catapult 23. Cherwell District Council, 2017 11. UK Prosperity Index 2016, Legatum Institute 24. Colliers, 2017 12. Oxfordshire County Council, 2015 25. Bidwells, 2017 13. Gov.uk, UK House Price Index, June 2017 14. Gov.uk, Housing Affordability, 2016

18 Developed by clarity-strategies.com