Prospectus published for The Arc

A key document has been published to direct the future of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.

The economic prospectus for The Arc sets out a vision which seeks to enable the area to double its economic output to over £200 billion by 2050.

Cllr Barry Wood, leader of Cherwell District Council and chair of the Arc Leaders Group, said: “The Arc region has a critical mass of research, high-technology expertise and innovation assets found nowhere else in the UK. Yet we are at a pivotal time, during which our nation’s economic resilience is being tested far beyond anything we’ve seen before.

“Working with Government we can release the potential of the Arc’s key sectors, scientific community and entrepreneurial spirit to propel our country’s response to the major national and global challenges we face.”

The prospectus asks for commitment from Government to long term investment in the area. It sets out a plan to try to make the UK a world-leader in new technology and industries in zero-carbon aviation, space, life sciences, future mobility and energy.

Jeremy Long, chair of the Arc Local Enterprise Partnerships Group and chair of OxLEP, said: “Our vision is for The Arc to be a global hub for innovation, and home to exemplary models of green development that will inspire communities around the world.

“The Arc’s place is at the forefront of the UK’s green recovery and this will be made possible through bold leadership that focuses on the big opportunities. The Arc’s world-leading innovation across multiple sectors can deliver prosperity for the UK. We now need the commitment from Government and international investors to make the ambition a reality.”

The prospectus can be downloaded here.

An expert view from Savills can be seen here.

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