In January 2025 the Chancellor reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor to help kickstart economic growth, highlighting the potential of the corridor to unlock £78 billion for the UK economy by 2035. Capitalising on the region’s excellence in science and innovation will ensure that world-class research translates to commercial success. Last week the Government announced over £500 million investment for new homes, infrastructure and business space for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor.
The Environment Agency is uniquely positioned to support this latest development in the government’s growth mission while protecting and enhancing our environment. From planning advice to regulatory decisions, they are committed to enabling development that works for both the economy and the environment.
The government’s renewed focus on the Oxford to Cambridge Corridor offers the opportunity to plan strategically across boundaries to ensure appropriate water infrastructure is included early in planning and help shape sustainable growth. The Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor has significant existing water pressures that need to be considered alongside growth ambitions and a changing climate.
The Environment Agency’s Oxford to Cambridge team is working collaboratively to lead this shift, testing and trialling new approaches, generating evidence, and shaping change to move toward an integrated model for water management that supports both growth and the environment. In this webinar the team shares their programme of work, showcasing two of their latest projects. The first of these is looking at joining up drainage, wastewater and surface water planning. The project pilots a method of integrating surface water and wastewater, planning to demonstrate how joined-up local planning can work. The second project looks at forecasting Future Water Demand in non-household sectors, exploring some of the challenges that occur when planning appropriate infrastructure for the future.
Header and card image credit: © MNStudio | Adobe Stock
