Council welcomes Oxford Growth Commission’s interim report

An interim report by the Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission, Neale Coleman CBE, has been welcomed as a milestone moment for the city and county.

The Oxford Growth Commission was set up in May 2025 to review how best to unlock and accelerate growth across the county.

The interim report, which was published today, recognises Oxfordshire and Oxford’s unique position at the heart of the UK’s innovation ecosystem and their critical role in driving national economic growth.

It highlights the region’s world-leading research capacity, thriving knowledge-intensive sectors, and the potential to deliver significant benefits for local communities and the wider UK economy.

The interim report sets out opportunity areas for development within existing planning frameworks and highlights additional opportunities around the Cowley Branch Line.

It calls for a number of measures including:

• Investment in critical infrastructure such as the reopening of the Cowley Branch Line, the modernisation of Oxford Station, and enhanced digital and energy networks.
• Accelerated delivery of new homes, including affordable housing, to meet both current and future needs.
• Support for innovation, skills and inward investment, building on Oxford and Oxfordshire’s global reputation for research and enterprise.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We welcome this interim report, and the focus on sustainable and inclusive growth which aligns with our own strategic vision for a greener, fairer and healthier future for all our residents.

“It is gratifying to see the support it offers to our OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail to improve rail transport and connectivity over the next 15 years, and the acknowledgement of the funding commitments that the county council has made for infrastructure.

“We look forward to working with partners to deliver the infrastructure, housing and skills needed to unlock Oxfordshire’s full potential. We’d like to thank Neale and his team for their work to date in getting local partners and government around the table to address what’s needed.”

The Oxford Growth Commission’s mission is to support the delivery of infrastructure, housing and employment to unleash Oxford’s and Oxfordshire’s economic power, accelerating growth in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and driving economic growth across the UK.

The commission intends to issue a final report to the Secretary of State for Housing by autumn 2026.

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