OxCam Arc Economic Growth and Development Conference; In association with Bidwells

Homes England – Sarah Greenwood, Assistant Director – Sustainability and Design

Homes England are the government’s housing accelerator – driving positive market change. Recently securing £124 million in funding for the next phase of Northstowe, Cambridge new town- comprising of 10,000 new homes. Sarah will be joining the session to share intel on recent project and the challenges of delivering sustainable, affordable home within the region.

AstraZeneca – Dr Andy Williams, Vice President, Cambridge Programme & Strategy

Andy Williams is Vice President – Cambridge Programme & Strategy for AstraZeneca. As well as delivery of the company’s strategy for its Cambridge footprint, Andy works with Cambridge and national stakeholders to develop the local infrastructure, promote the life sciences sector and inspire the next generation of scientists through AstraZeneca’s extensive local community outreach activities. With the arrival of AstraZeneca’s new strategic R&D centre at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Andy has been an active contributor to evolving Cambridge’s thinking in areas such as transport, skill development, amenities for the community and affordable housing.

Grosvenor – Louisa Nie, Senior Development Manager

Grosvenor are one of the most active and respected master developers across the OxCam Arc having brought forward a multitude of high-level schemes. In Cambridge they are working on the Trumpington Meadows project which features 1200 homes a new community stadium which will become the home of Cambridge Utd FC and the Cambridge Sporting Village. One of their most exciting future projects is Salt Cross Garden Village in Oxfordshire – a 10 year, £500 million sustainable place comprising 2200 new homes powered by low carbon technologies. Louisa joins the event to talk about all their upcoming ambitions and their burgeoning Positive Space Community Charter.

East West Rail – Simon Blanchflower, Chief Executive

Simon joined the East West Railway Company as its first CEO in December 2018, to lead the team which will join Oxford and Cambridge by rail for the first time since 1967. He joined the company from a long career leading the development and delivery of major rail infrastructure projects and most recently was the Major Programme Director on the Thameslink Programme. This complex project included the re-building of London Bridge station, extensive railway systems work and the first in class deployment of digital railway technology. Simon was instrumental in the early stage development of Crossrail and the entry into service of Heathrow Express. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineering and balances his working life with a longstanding and deep commitment to voluntary work in his local community.

Socius – Olaide Oboh, Director

In partnership with Railpen, Socius are set to deliver their second major Cambridge City Centre scheme, a 500,000 sq ft, £500m sustainable commercial project. Adjacent to the Botanic Gardens. The development expands their East of England footprint following plans for a £160m mixed use scheme at Devonshire Gardens and £180m MK Gateway project. Olaide will be joining the session to discuss current development plans in the region.

Cranfield University – Dr Paul Leinster CBE, Visiting Environmental Professor

As former Chief Executive of the Environment Agency and a senior advisor to UK government on their 25-year environmental plan, Paul brings a wealth of experience in the realm of developing green infrastructure. He is currently a Professor at Cranfield University where his research spans topics such as digital agriculture, managing corporate sustainability and carbon, climate and risk. He chairs the board of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment and the Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership. He is actively involved in several activities related to the protection and improvement of the environment within the Oxford Cambridge Arc.

Sladen Estates – Rachel Wood, Managing Director

Having purchased a 48-acre speculative development site just of the A41 in Bicester with outline planning consent for over 600,000sq ft for offices or research and development buildings. Sladen Estates are renowned for their job creating schemes wherever they invest and have a particular interest in growing their presence across the Arc.

Network Rail – Jo Lewington, Chief Environment and Sustainability Officer

Although Rail is one of the greenest and cleanest ways to travel contributing to only 1.4% of transport emissions, Network Rail are on a journey to net zero. Across the country with billions of pounds worth of new schemes coming to the fore, Jo is responsible for making them a green as practicable and is keen to engage with supply chain partners who shares Network Rail’s values in delivering world leading sustainable transport solutions.

Catalyst Housing Group – Joe Marshall, Managing Director, New Homes (Counties)

Joe has worked at Catalyst, the 34,000 home Housing Association, for the past six years with responsibility for all land and new business activity in the London region. Following Catalyst’s merger with Aldwyck in 2019, Joe has established a new regional land and partnerships function specifically to grow Catalyst’s existing pipeline across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, with a particular focus on partnership working with housebuilders and local authorities. Joe’s experience of securing new opportunities via a range of different acquisition routes has enabled Catalyst to deliver more multi-tenure homes people love across London and the South East. He will set out Catalyst’s plans for the Arc, which include major developments in Oxford, Bedfordshire and beyond.

Harwell Campus and Innovation Clusters, UKRI-Science and Technology Facilities Council – Dr Barbara Ghinelli, Director

Barbara is responsible for the development of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus at UKRI- STFC. The campus is undergoing a major, multi-year expansion with 1.5m sq ft of commercial space, thousands of new homes a hotel and amenities set to be added by 2027. The next stage of the project – the 21,000 sq ft Zeta, a ‘mid-tech’ building which will allow further growth of the region’s energy, space, health and quantum computing companies. Barbara has established the cluster model deployed at both STFC’s Harwell and Daresbury Science & Innovation Campuses and oversees their development. She has led the creation of six thriving innovation clusters in Space, HealthTec, EnergyTec, Digital and a new in Quantum, across the two sites. These now include over 300 organisations collocated on the campuses.

Oxford Brookes University – Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice Chancellor

Professor Alistair Fitt is the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, where he was previously Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research. He joined Oxford Brookes in 2011 from the University of Southampton, where he was Pro Vice-Chancellor (International). He is chair of various committees and boards, including the UUKi TNE Advisory Group, and Deputy Chair of both the University Alliance and Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP).

Wellcome Genome Campus – Sian Nash, Associate Chief Operating Officer

The Wellcome Genome Campus is a world leading scientific research centre, home to some of the foremost genomics and computational biology institutes and organisations. The campus is planning a major expansion which will see it triple in size and add a further 1.6 million sq ft of employment space and up to 1,500 homes for campus-based staff, 30 percent of which will be affordable. Sian will discuss these exciting plans, which will create an estimated 4,300 new jobs, and how they will allow the campus to become the international centre for scientific, business, cultural and educational activities arising from genomes and biodata. The multi-stage expansion programme will see the first spade in the ground later this year and continue for 10+ years.

Milton Keynes Council – Cllr Pete Marland, Leader

With a plan to rejuvenate seven former council estates and the town set to be a main beneficiary of the forthcoming East-West Rail scheme, its an exciting time to be a built environment organisation in the Milton Keynes eco-system. Cllr Marland was reconfirmed as Leader of the council in May 2021 and has promised to enable billions of pounds worth of investment in the next decade. He joins the event to talk about some of the key strategic projects and how they’re relying on the supply chain to support their ambitions.

Norwich Research Park – Roz Bird, Chief Executive, Anglia Innovation Partnership

Norwich Research Park is one of the largest single-site concentrations of research in food, genomics and health in Europe, bringing together four independent internationally-renowned research institutes: John Innes Centre, Quadram Institute, Earlham Institute and The Sainsbury Laboratory. They have recently announced ambitious plans to develop 900,000 sq ft on land to house up to 300 companies over the next 15 years.

Hill Group – Greg Hill, Deputy Chief Executive

Hill has secured 8.64 acres (3.5 hectares) of land at Canalside, the west area of the site south of the A40, as part of the TWO Oxford North masterplan. Hill will deliver the first phase of new homes, for both market and affordable, for the new district in line with the masterplan, together with related infrastructure. Hill have been active in the OxCam Arc for years and Greg will join the session to talk about why they continue to see the Arc as a fertile area to develop in, as well as giving more intel on their current and future schemes.

Milton Keynes Development Partnership – Nicola Sawford, Chair

Milton Keynes Development Partnership is wholly owned by MK Council and exists to develop its portfolio of land assets to make the city an ever better place to live, work and socialise. They have an initial plan to develop 19 mixed tenure housing sites which will producer 4,000 new homes by 2031, with 50% being affordable – far above the minimum requirement.

Harwell Science and Innovation Campus – David Williams, Commercial Director

The Harwell Science and Innovation Campus is undergoing a significant expansion, with aims to make room for thousands more to join their innovation community through the development of cutting edge workspace, new labs and world-leading facilities. The campus are planning to add 1.5m sq ft of commercial space, new homes, hotel and amenities by 2027, as the next step of their wider 5m sq ft campus Masterplan.

MK:U Cranfield University – Professor Lynette Ryals OBE, Chief Executive

MK:U Cranfield university are creating leaders in technology and management. Recently announcing plans to develop a new campus in Milton Keynes in 2023 that approximately costs £400 million, which aims to welcome 5,000 students in the first year. Lynette – Chief Executive will be joining the session to discuss campus development and the impact on institutional outcomes.

Milton Keynes City Council – Paul Thomas, Director of Planning and Placemaking

Milton Keynes is predicted to grow to a population of over 410,000 by 2050, from around 270,000 today. MK Council is keen to ensure that their growing city is better connected and are planning to deliver a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRT), with a first phase delivered by 2031 and a second by 2050. The MRT will be adaptable to future transport scenarios and be able to incorporate connected and autonomous vehicles as mass transit options and could cost close to £1.1 billion.

England’s Economic Heartland – Naomi Green, Managing Director

Naomi Green is Managing Director of England’s Economic Heartland (EEH), the region’s sub-national transport body focused on a major programme of work, including development and delivery of the region’s infrastructure priorities and establishing a pioneering ‘centre for excellence’ to bolster local authorities’ capacity to plan future schemes. Their proposed Ely Area Capacity scheme will allow 2,900 extra freight services to operate from Felixstowe per annum, remove 98,000 lorry journeys off the road every year, reduce congestion by 5.6 million hours and cut carbon emissions by 1.7 million tonnes over 60 years.

Platform Housing Group – Gerraint Oakley, Executive Director Growth and Development

Platform Housing Group are one of the UK’s most reputable registered housing providers and are in expansion mode, targeting the OxCams Arc and parts of the East of England as places that they’d like to develop within. As part of this conference, they will speak for the first time publicly about their ambitions and engage with leadership from across the built environment sector in the region about supporting them on their journey.

SEMLEP – Hilary Chipping, Chief Executive

South East Midlands LEP sits at the heart of the OxCam Arc and support it through their mission to build on the South East Midlands reputation as a premier location for growth, innovation and world leading technology. SEMLEP works with Local Authorities, the Arc Universities’ Group and neighbouring LEPs and business Boards to continue to develop the Arc strategy.

University of Northampton – Professor Nick Petford, Vice Chancellor

The University of Northampton is one of the youngest universities in the UK but is already leading the way in adding value to society, having won multiple awards for social impact. Nick will discuss the vital contribution the university makes to the economy of the Arc, through attracting students, partnerships with business and contribution to the skills economy. He is an expert in the link between universities and economic growth and development within the Arc, having been a board member of the Northamptonshire Enterprise Board and SEMLEP.

Countryside Partnerships – Verity MacMahon, Managing Director, Northern Home Counties

Countryside Partnership are the leading regeneration specialist within the UK- specialising in delivering homes and community regeneration. With recent plans to develop Barton Park in Oxford City, consisting of 885 homes, a community hub, additional facilities, a primary school and retail space which is due for completion in 2027. Verity – Managing director will be joining the session to discuss upcoming development plans, the challenges of accelerating the housing stock and developing inclusive communities.

Thomas White Oxford – Dr Jason Matthews, Director of Estates

Jason is an internationally respected real estate strategist with over 25 years’ experience within property development. Jason was previously the Director of Estate Strategy at the University of Cambridge (UoC) where he led a GBP3bn development pipeline as well as 6.5 million square feet property portfolio in addition to a team of 350 people. Jason has also worked for both private and public sector organisations that have significant property investments. His experience includes being responsible for the successful delivery of the University of Cambridge development pipeline – including substantial science and technology assets, Head of Research at Lend Lease Corporation leading a team of 10 researchers around the world provide underwrite information regarding markets and developments, Director of Knox Central project for the Australian Government. Based in Melbourne Australia, Jason led the investment and planning of a 220-hectare regeneration project. Worked on various masterplan schemes in Egypt, Morocco, Dubai, Iran, Pakistan, Syria and Oman – responsible for overall development strategy and development appraisal. Advisor to Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College, in delivering the Oxford North project. Jason commenced his career as a carpenter when he left school. He proceeded to continue his studies and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) from Loughborough University in 1997. Since this time, Jason has spent much of his career living and working overseas.

Vistry Group – Andrew Taylor, Group Planning and Communities Director

With last year’s acquisition of Countryside Properties, Vistry have increased their already huge pipeline of homes to be delivered across Garden Communities in the UK becoming one of the most prominent investors in these visions. Having become Visty’s Group Planning Director, Andrew will be well placed to discuss their plans which include 5,000 homes in Sherford near Plymouth, the 10,000-home Chelmsford Garden Community, 3,000 homes as part of the new Ashmere community in the Ebbsfleet Garden City masterplan, and around 1300 homes at Alphington, Exeter.

Peterborough City Council & Cambridgeshire County Council – Steve Cox, Executive Director, Place & Economy

Peterborough City Council are working with their partners including Opportunity Peterborough and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority alongside key private sector developers and investors to bring forward a City Centre Development Framework, which will ensure the city centre will be able to keep up with a projected population growth of 17% over the next 15 years.

The council are leveraging over £600 million of private sector investment as well as £22.9 million from the Towns Deal Fund across eight development sites which will transform the face of the city centre.

David Lock Associates – Nick Freer, Chairman

Partner at DLA since 2003, Nick brings a committed and commercially aware approach to the delivery of client and public authority objectives.  His record is one of strong client relationships and facilitating implementation; as an experienced expert witness, he has a strong record of appeal success. His present accomplishments embrace the planning and delivery of major, large-scale housing and mixed use developments across the country – which include the new town of Cranbrook in Devon, a national exemplar of infrastructure-led delivery and the Swindon New Eastern Villages.

Hawksworth Securities – Peter Breach, Chairman

Hawksworth Securities working with Peterborough City Council on the North Westgate regeneration project to deliver a new urban quarter for the city. The 500,000 sq ft, £150 million scheme will see the creation of hundreds of new homes, alongside office space, retail and leisure and community health facilities. A new planning application was submitted in July of this year and Peter will discuss how the project will reinvigorate the city centre.

Bidwells – Emily Slupek, Partner

Emily Slupek is a Partner at Bidwells, working in the Building Consultancy team, with a focus on the science and tech research sector. Currently, she is working with Harwell Campus to deliver their first life sciences building at its Innovation Quarter. Prior to joining Bidwells, Emily spearheaded Buro Four’s Science & Technology division, helping clients to deliver complex projects. Emily was project lead on two schemes at Cambridge BioMedical Campus, as well as project director for the construction of two new laboratory buildings at Begbroke Science Park in Oxford. She also has experience in leading repurposing projects, as well as working with developers and funders to deliver large commercial offices and mixed-use developments. With significant experience across science and tech development, Emily is a recognised figure within the innovation sector, regularly moderating panels and chairing round table discussions to explore future trends within the sector.

Cambridgeshire County Council – David Allatt, Assistant Director, Transport Strategy and Network Management

More information to follow.

CPC Project Services – Mark Cleverly, Partner Head of Property & Construction

CPC Project Services has a track record for successful delivery of infrastructure and building projects across the Arc and working in multiple sectors including highways, rail, science & technology, residential and education. CPC’s recent work includes acting as Programme Directors for the A40 Corridor infrastructure programme for Oxfordshire County Council and obtaining Homes England approval for a £40m park and ride scheme for the Council and delivery of £8m of site improvements to Oxford North. CPC are currently providing the interim Director of Highways and Transport role for Cambridgeshire County Council and have also delivered large research and technology projects for the Science & Technology Facilities Council at the Harwell Campus and numerous projects for the University of Oxford including project management of the Schwarzman Centre for Humanities and the completion of Biochemistry building.  Mark Cleverly is Head of Property & Construction for CPC and over 30 years he has worked across the spectrum of buildings sector including delivery of the Department of Earth Sciences for University of Oxford.

BDB Pitmans – Sarah Potter, Partner

Sarah is a partner in BDB Pitmans’ Real Estate team. She has a diverse practice which covers all aspects of commercial property, including acquisitions and disposals, landlord and tenant matters (including conditional pre-let agreements), all aspects of property management and property finance. She advises on development matters for both landowners and national and individual developers, including option agreements, sub-sales, conditional contracts, promotion and collaboration agreements.

Oxfordshire LEP – Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive

Oxfordshire LEP has been concentrating on regeneration projects aimed at connectivity and infrastructure by using a £118m local growth fund to unlock clean, green economic growth across the county. As part of this event, Nigel will focus on how his team are bringing forward 27 specific multimillion pound schemes which will complement a range of other development projects being pursued by the public and private sector.

Atkins, member of the SNC-Lavalin Group – Claire Wansbury, Atkins Fellow and Associate Director: Ecology

More information to follow.

Summix Capital – Greg Mitchell, Executive Planning Director

Greg is an Executive Planning Director at Summix. He has over 35 years’ experience in town and country planning, principally within the private sector and development industry. He has extensive expertise in the planning and implementation of new settlements and strategic scale development in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and the West Midlands region. Summix are actively promoting new settlements, based on Garden Communities principles, through the development plan process in Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and Solihull. The largest is in the South Worcestershire Development Plan where Summix have the majority land interest in a proposed allocation for 10,000 dwellings in the emerging Regulation 19 Plan.

Sustrans – Clare Maltby, Director: England Midlands and East

Sustrans are one of the UK’s leading organisations on developing green infrastructure with an extensive track record of delivering schemes across the UK. Clare will be on hand to discuss how they are collaborating with a number of top level developers and local authorities across the UK to ensure green walking and cycling infrastructure features heavily in transformational developments – while unveiling her organisation’s future strategy and their essential role in achieving net zero in the UK.

Bidwells – Mike Derbyshire, Head of Planning

Mike leads Bidwells’ planning practice, and advocates for thoughtful, well-designed development across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. He is actively advising on plans for 7 million sq. ft of R&D / Life Science space across the Cambridge region, approaching challenges with a blend of strategic and political instinct and forensic knowledge of planning.

BDB Pitmans – Oksana Price, Senior Associate

Oksana specialises in the authorisation and implementation of major infrastructure projects, with a particular focus on energy, transport and airports schemes.

She advises on all aspects of major project consenting including options assessment, consultation, environmental impact assessment, compulsory purchase and the scope of statutory powers. She also drafts statutory application documents, negotiates agreements with affected third parties and assist with the handling of public inquiries, examinations and hearings.

Oksana acts for both promoters and objectors in public and private sectors on a wide range of projects and has experience of promoting and opposing development consent orders under the Planning Act, private and hybrid bills and transport and works Act orders.

Cass Allen Associates – Sam Bryant, Director

Cass Allen is a specialist acoustics consultancy focussed on noise and vibration in the built environment. Since starting out in 2000, Cass Allen has successfully completed thousands of projects in the residential, commercial, infrastructure and public sectors and our clients include some of the UK’s largest housebuilders, architects, and planning consultancies.

Sam Bryant is a Director at Cass Allen and has consulted on a wide variety of projects including large-scale residential, commercial, industry and infrastructure schemes. In particular, Sam has extensive experience in noise and vibration assessments of sources affecting existing or future occupants of residential developments.

ISG – Peter Kelly, Group Director of Sustainable Operations

Peter has worked in the construction sector for almost 20 years and is the Director for Sustainable Operations within ISG Ltd. Peter has brought his expertise in sustainability strategy formulation, measurement and delivery to ISG along with specialist knowledge circular economy principles in order to further strengthen the company’s credentials in pursuing a resource efficient, low carbon future. He is now responsible for the delivery of ISGs sustainability policies and strategy across ISG.

Peter joined the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) Waste Working Group in 2010 and subsequently the Government’s Greening the Industry Waste Task Group in 2011 working to help deliver the government’s pledge to reduce waste to landfill by 50% by 2012. Peter now participates in the Green Construction Board’s Resources & Waste Task Group and chairs the CIWM Construction and Demolition Waste Forum setting the agenda for waste prevention and the implementation of circular economy principles across the construction sector in tandem with regulators and policy makers.

Arup – Abigaile Bromfield, Director, Midlands Integrated City Planning and Design Leader

Abigaile has also spent time working in the Cabinet Office Implementation Unit for the Prime Minister (2015-16), advising on improving the implementation of housing and transport related policies. Her work combines practical development experience with a strong track record in stakeholder engagement and political communication.

Arup is leading on key regional growth projects, including the redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr’. The UK Central Hub Growth and Infrastructure Plan and the development of detailed plans for the East Midlands Development Corporation

Bidwells – Patrick McMahon, Senior Partner

Providing strategic advice on large-scale urban developments and investments, Patrick has led the firm for more than 10 years.

The clear-thinking Senior Partner spends much of his time helping Bidwells’ biggest development and investment clients make the right decisions. Patrick has the knack of simplifying the complex – a skill honed over 30 years in property.

Living and breathing the knowledge economy, Patrick is advising on major innovation districts in Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes, where the UK’s top university researchers are collaborating with private capital to help solve the world’s biggest problems.

Advising the Government on the Oxford to Cambridge Arc economic area, Patrick has led a coalition of property’s biggest names in successfully lobbying ministers for stronger economic policy in support of the UK’s knowledge industries.