Oxfordshire to benefit from £6.2 million government boost

A £6.2 million government boost is to help unlock 15,000 new homes in Didcot Garden Town.

The money will also help Oxfordshire to make improvements to its local transport networks, the Housing Minister has said.

Government funding has been awarded to South Oxfordshire District Council to help speed up the delivery of Didcot’s Northern Perimeter Road. As a critical transport link around Didcot, it will be one of the new roads that will be key to the success of Didcot Garden Town, a locally-led development which aims to build over 15,000 homes by 2031.

The funding will also help to relieve pressure on local transport networks and accommodate the expanding communities in the local area.

The investment promises to boost economic growth across the Science Vale and enterprise zone, increasing employment by 20,000 over the next two decades.

Aloo Sharma, Housing and Planning Minister, said: “We need to deliver the right infrastructure in the right places to speed up house building and deliver the homes this country needs.

“This £6.2 million funding is excellent news for the Oxfordshire area, promising to boost local growth and turbo-charge the delivery of thousands of new homes.”

John Cotton, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “The district council made a commitment to residents in Didcot that the Garden Town project would deliver infrastructure. So I’m really pleased that we are able to fund the completion of the Northern Perimeter Road - a project that has been sat waiting for years.

“Once completed, the road will relieve pressure elsewhere in the town and provide a real boost to other Garden Town proposals.”

Ian Hudspeth, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The county council is pleased to see Oxfordshire’s growth ambitions recognised by the funding announcement today. The Northern Perimeter Road will provide a critical link in and around Didcot and will provide the much needed infrastructure to support the new homes planned for Didcot.

“Oxfordshire County Council looks forward to working in partnership with South Oxfordshire District Council and Lady Grove East developers to ensure the scheme adds to the successful delivery of Didcot Garden Town, ensuring that Oxfordshire continues to be a thriving place to live and work.

“We have a long history of delivering major road schemes and improvements using government money to enable the road network to meet the demands of the future and look forward to starting work on this latest investment in Oxfordshire transport.”