A new Local Development Order (LDO) has been agreed for Milton Park, designed to cut through the planning process and encourage workers to use sustainable travel.
The new-adopted LDO, drawn up by Vale of White Horse District Council, Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council, allows the park to grow to 4.2 million sq ft, thanks to fast-tracked planning approvals, and is backed by a new s106 agreement, believed to be a UK first, which assesses contributions based on data gained from a system of monitoring traffic.
Schemes can be consented in just 10 days under the new LDO and the s106 requirements determined by an AI-powered system of traffic-flow measurement called VivaCity, rather than being based on floorspace.
The system, implemented in conjunction with Oxfordshire County Council, gathers information from sensors to determine traffic movements.
Contributions will be directed towards public investment in bus services in support of the park’s ongoing partnership with Thames Travel, alongside new cycle and walking pathways, healthcare services and road upgrades.
The LDO will prioritise the retrofitting, reimagining and repurposing of existing buildings and incorporating low or zero carbon energy technology. Ecological strategies will encourage biodiversity net gain (BNG) and include provision of EV charging points.
The previous Milton Park (2012) LDO helped bring forward around 734,000 sq ft of development across 80 predevelopment notifications. Milton Park says that equates to an estimated 1,000 days of planning over a decade, which would have taken 8,900 days without the agreement in place.
Cllr Neil Fawcett, Vale of White Horse District Council cabinet member for economic development, workplace and IT, said: “Our Didcot Garden Town Delivery Plan sets out plans for 20,000 new jobs in the area by 2031 and this LDO will help us achieve that.
“I’m delighted to see that the plans also include improvements to cycle and pedestrian routes. Promoting active travel to employment sites from nearby developments means we can reduce our carbon emissions and reduce congestion while also attracting high quality employers.”
Philip Campbell, commercial director at MEPC Milton Park, said: “Simplifying planning and section 106 agreements is hugely complicated, but it’s been a real privilege to work with both councils to update the LDO.
“The agreement fulfills a shared vision to deliver the UK’s first green-travel-focused simplified planning agreement, renewing our commitment to ongoing investment in the Oxfordshire bus network through our partnership with Thames Travel. It’s a prime example of what can be achieved through effective public-private sector collaboration.
“Our mission is to continue to support organisations whatever their size within the region, to facilitate innovation and boost the economy. Coupled with our single ownership model and plentiful power provision, the new LDO will allow us to continue to do this and drive greener growth for decades to come.”
Advisors involved in the delivery of the LDO process include Pro Vision (planning), Meeting Place (PR and marketing), Perkins & Will (masterplanning), Ensafe (air quality, noise and lighting), Ramboll (drainage and utilities), RPS (heritage), ASA Landscapes (landscape), Tyler Grange (biodiversity) and Systra (transport).
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