The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership aims to ensure that infrastructure needs are fit for purpose. We are ensuring that the planning system does not hold back economic growth while being sensitive to the needs of the environment.

Local Development Plans are developed by Oxfordshire’s district councils to enable the allocation of specific sites for new development amongst other planning matters. Oxfordshire County Council develops the minerals and waste local development framework.

Our focus is to make sure that Oxfordshire’s planning strategy and its investment plans improve the infrastructure requirements of the county.

We have been successful in gaining funds from the Government for major infrastructure work, and are particularly keen to ensure that the infrastructure needs of the major investment areas of Bicester, Oxford and Science Vale UK are fully addressed.

Super Connected Cities 2015

The Government has made up to £150 million available to support UK cities to develop the digital infrastructure capability to remain internationally competitive and attractive for investors, business and visitors.

Through the SuperConnected Cities Programme across 22 UK cities, the Government has provided:

• Broadband Connection Vouchers to thousands of small and medium sized businesses to improve digital connectivity
• public Wi-Fi in over 1,000 public buildings including museums, libraries and community centres, across city centres and in over 1,200 buses, trams and trains
• digital projects increasing broadband capacity and supporting business growth in some of our leading cities

From 1 April 2015, businesses in Oxfordshire will be able to benefit from the Broadband Connection Vouchers scheme. The scheme offers SMEs grants of up to £3,000 to cover installation costs associated with connecting to superfast and ultrafast broadband. Following the Chancellor's announcement in the Autumn Statement 2014, this will be funded through a £40 million Challenge Fund. The scheme will operate on a first-come first-served basis. The Fund will run until March 2016 or until the fund is spent, whichever is soonest.