UK Property Forums consultant Hugh Blaza reports from the planning meeting in Oxford to plot the subjects and speakers for the county’s most significant property gathering.

Stakeholders and sponsors gathered at the Westgate Oxford last week to plan the county’s main property conference of the year.

Those involved in OxPropSummit on March 25 and 26 at Trinity College came together at the Westgate’s management suite on January 22 to decide the speakers, panellists and subjects for the day-long event.

The conference, now in its eighth year, is the ‘must attend’ focus event for all property people engaged in, or attracted by, the burgeoning activity in Oxford and Oxfordshire.

The theme for the 2025 summit will be how the symbiotic relationship between the city and county works – but could work better – for all, including innovators, investors, developers, professionals and everyone living and working in the region.

Programme coordinators Matthew Battle and myself took the meeting through the topics which they and the summit stakeholders believe will be of the greatest importance and interest to the delegates and attendees.

The agenda has been designed in partnership with Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council and draws upon the knowledge of Tom Bridgman, executive director – development at Oxford City Council.

He said: “Building upon the success of last year’s event, we are really pleased to be involved with OxPropSummit – hopefully it will be as successful.”

There is no shortage of material (selecting what to leave out being a harder task than agreeing what should be included) and speakers at the summit will discuss, amongst other topics:

  • The demand for different spaces, from labs to leisure to offices to manufacturing.
  • Are we making the most of our reputation to create a truly global brand?
  • Why is our infrastructure lacking in so many ways and what is being done to make it fit for purpose and supportive of our ambition?
  • Is the design of our buildings driving better productivity?
  • A look at the Government’s new planning rules and the proposals for reorganising district authorities.
  • Are the transport improvements ambitious enough and will they come in time to ensure investors in our innovation are not deterred by the gridlock in our road and rail networks?
  • Sustainable construction, from the biggest new schemes to the unique heritage buildings.
  • How have the new swathes of development produced a social dividend for the population at large?
  • The contributions made by the big estates, whether landed, leisure or industrial.

Alongside the formal discussions, a series a fringe events will take place, giving practical examples of what has been happening and how. And once again there will be a pre-summit dinner, hosted this year at the college.

There will be abundant networking and exhibition opportunities, all in the highly impressive surroundings of the college and supported by its exceptional conferencing centre facilities.

Tickets for both the summit and the pre-summit dinner are available at the links below, but are selling fast!

For the dinner: https://Pre-Summit_Dinner.eventbrite.co.uk

For the summit: https://oxpropsummit25.eventbrite.co.uk

© Thames Tap (powered by ukpropertyforums.com).

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