Secretary of state for science, innovation and technology Peter Kyle has confirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, a region that is home to numerous high-tech firms and university-driven tech initiatives.
Speaking at a meeting of industry chiefs, he said: “The Oxford-Cambridge Arc is already an engine of prosperity, and a shining example of how universities, investors and innovative businesses can work together to drive growth, when they create and seize the opportunities offered by breakthroughs in science and technology.
“But together, we can go even further,” said Kyle. “We are determined to unleash R&D as a driving force in our mission to grow the economy in every corner of the country, under our plan for change.”
Companies including AstraZeneca, GSK, Airbus and Aveva have welcomed a plan to double the economy of the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge region by 2035. Other companies pledging support include Darktrace and autonomous vehicle firm Oxa.
There is also a drive to attract investors into the region. Nick Pettit, senior partner at Bidwells, said: “The investors we work with have the choice to deploy capital globally. That they select the OxCam region over others despite some difficulties with planning, or with procurement, reaffirms the unique opportunity investors see in the UK’s apex of science and technology, and the reality is that small policy changes are all it takes for this region to make an enormous difference to its contribution to national growth.
Karen Holford, chief executive and vice-chancellor of Cranfield University, said: “There’s a well-established ecosystem of research and innovation within this region that has an enormous potential to benefit the whole country. It’s encouraging to see this recognised with today’s commitment. Universities have a crucial role in the government’s growth mission, not only in developing new technologies and innovations for industry, but also in building the key skills we need now and in the future.”
Research from Public First for the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board estimates that fast-tracking the region’s growth through policy interventions such as reforming the planning system would add an estimated £78bn cumulative GDP to the UK economy by 2035. This is equivalent to funding the national New Hospital Programme, the country’s biggest hospital building programme in a generation, more than three times over.
The previous Tory government scrapped a number of development schemes in the region, including dropping an expressway in 2021, due to cost. In October 2024, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the government would deliver East-West Rail to drive growth between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge.
The government has now said it’s committed to making the UK a global scientific superpower – and the Oxford-Cambridge Arc is a key part of these plans.
Andy Williams, chair of the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, said: “Our members, which include some of the world’s largest investors, see extraordinary potential, and in this commitment, it is abundantly clear that the government does, too.”
