OXFORD EMPLOYMENT LAND STUDY APPENDICES March 2006

ii Major employers and economic drivers throughout the region
iii Sectors with high value added growth potential, underpinning the region’s international trade
performance.
Policy RE3, which requires Local Development Documents to assess the employment needs
of the local economy and workforce and include policies to provide for a range of sites and
premises based on the following criteria:
i locations that are accessible to the existing and proposed labour supply
ii efficient use of existing and underused sites and premises
iii locations which intensify the use of existing sites
iv focus on urban areas
v promotion of mixed use development where appropriate and subject
Draft Review of Regional Economic Strategy for the South East Region (Dec 2005)
Oxford is defined as within the Inner South East - a relatively wealthy core around London,
where a strong relationship with a Global City sits alongside centres of economic vitality as
strong as any in Europe, delivering much of the region’s ‘world class’ performance.
The vision of the Strategy is for the South East to be a world class region achieving
sustainable prosperity by 2016. The strategy to achieve this vision is built on 6 drivers of
regional prosperity:
- Employment
- Enterprise
- Innovation and creativity
- Skills
- Competition and business regulation
- Investment in infrastructure
Among the aims most relevant to Oxford are:
* Continue to attract and retain high value added inward investors;
* Stimulate international relationships strategic to the region for innovation and knowledge
transfer, including through the development of the Greater South East as an International
Science City-Region.
The draft strategy notes that successful development and exploitation of new ideas is the
cornerstone of economic growth and prosperity and that to harness this potential, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer has encouraged the development of a Science City in each UK
region, to be innovation hubs and drivers of regional growth.
Central Oxfordshire Sub-regional Strategy
5. On behalf of SEERA, Oxfordshire County Council is preparing a sub-regional strategy for the
central part of the County, including Oxford and nearby towns. This will form part of the South
East Plan but only a consultation draft is available. The core strategy seeks to build on the
strengths of the sub-region, realising opportunities for further growth while protecting and
enhancing the natural, historic and cultural environment. This contains a vision for Central
Oxfordshire as an area where:
• the character and setting of the internationally important historic city of Oxford are conserved
and protected
• the area’s economic strengths (in particular in research and development, building both on
the world class University of Oxford and other institutions) continue to be fostered and
developed
LON2005/R10271-002