Regeneration expert appointed to kickstart Oxford growth drive
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-12)

Regeneration expert Neale Coleman CBE has been appointed as Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission.

- Neale Coleman CBE appointed as Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission to accelerate plans for new housing, jobs and infrastructure across the city
- New group to play vital role in delivering Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, improving transport links alongside boosting energy and water security
- Supporting the government’s Plan for Change to secure Britain’s future and unleash growth in every region across the country
A leading regeneration expert has been appointed today as the Chair of a major government programme to grow the UK economy with new homes, infrastructure, transport links and jobs in the heart of the country’s oldest university city.

Neale Coleman will chair the Oxford Growth Commission that will identify how best to unlock new development and accelerate growth across Oxford and the surrounding areas. Neale already has a proven track record in delivering growth and regeneration, including his work for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Working in lockstep with local partners and industry, the Commission forms part of wider government plans to deliver the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor that will inject up to £78 billion into the UK economy by 2035, including new investment for the Abingdon Reservoir and funding for East-West Rail to deliver new services between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

The Commission’s pro-growth mission includes helping to unblock sites already identified for development, assessing areas of potential investment, and bringing councils and developers to the table so they can assemble land faster for major infrastructure projects.

Their work will support the government’s Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and new critical infrastructure, which will in turn create jobs, boost living standards, and put more money into working people’s pockets.

Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said:

“Unlocking Oxford’s full potential would make a significant contribution to kickstarting economic growth and so the appointment of Neale Coleman as the Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission marks an important step forward in the government’s Plan for Change”.

“I know Neale will use his invaluable expertise to help remove barriers holding up the delivery of essential housing and critical infrastructure in the city, and that he will ensure the Commission is effectively supporting the government’s wider plans for the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor to raise living standards, create new jobs and bolster the country’s connectivity and energy security.”

Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission, Neale Coleman CBE said:

“I’m delighted to take on this role of chairing the Growth Commission. The Commission brings together national government with partners from business, higher education and local government.

“Together we can provide new and united leadership in accelerating growth and opportunity and improving the quality of life for everyone who lives in Oxford and the surrounding areas. Oxford starts with amazing resources in the world-leading quality of its universities, the talents of its people and its innovative businesses.

“We can use all this as a springboard to accelerate and unblock barriers to sustainable growth delivering new job opportunities and more affordable housing as well as investing in sustainable travel and energy and nature recovery.”

The new group will deliver growth objectives through five initial workstreams and their focus in Oxford and the surrounding areas include:
- Facilitating the delivery of priority transport infrastructure, such as buses and rail, and ensuring investment in new projects is aligned to areas under development.
- Addressing utilities constraints, including the capacity of sewage treatment facilities, water and energy to dismantle barriers holding up new homes and jobs.
- Identifying a pipeline of priority housing projects that includes more affordable homes, amenities and green spaces.
- Working in partnership with the universities to encourage more private investment in skills and talent to boost local employment.
- Piloting new investment models to unlock the financing and funding needed to accelerate infrastructure projects.
To drive growth across the region, the Commission will work closely with Lord Vallance as Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion as well as Peter Freeman as Chair of the Cambridge Growth Company.

Science Minister and Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion, Lord Vallance said:

“Oxford is a byword, the world over, for invention, innovation, and aspiration. This city helps drive the economy of the entire country, and its deep skills base and world-class institutions are key to attracting the vital investment that will help us deliver on our Plan for Change.

“I welcome Neale’s appointment, and I hope that his leadership will help the Oxford Growth Commission unlock further investment, pinpointing the best places for development and testing new ways of funding innovative projects, as the next step in our mission to champion the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor.”

Yesterday marked the first 100 days since the new Growth Corridor was announced by the Chancellor, and significant progress is already underway.

This includes confirmed funding to upgrade the A428 and reduce journey times between Cambridge and Milton Keynes, a new Health Data Research Service to accelerate the discovery of life-saving drugs, significant investment for nine new reservoirs to tackle water scarcity, and support for the East Coast Mainline station to expand the region’s economy.

Building on the Growth Corridor’s progress so far, the Commission will go even further to unleash the economic power of Oxford and Oxfordshire which will not only benefit the wider region but also help drive growth in every corner of the country.

Professor Irene Tracey, Vice Chancellor at the University of Oxford said:

“The University of Oxford attracts millions in investment through its thriving spin-out ecosystem as a world-class hub for research and innovation. It is proud to create new companies and jobs every year across the region, and as part of the Oxford-Cambridge supercluster it is committed to furthering its economic contribution to the region and UK. This ambition and growth will be realised more quickly through the Oxford Growth Commission under Neale’s outstanding leadership, and I look forward to working with him and his team on this exciting and crucial endeavour.”

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council said:

“Oxford has the ideas, skills and track record to drive inclusive local and national economic growth, but we have always known we need the right conditions to go further, faster. We have big ambitions for the future of Oxford. I welcome today’s appointment of Neale Coleman as the chair of the Oxford Growth Commission. The City Council and universities lobbied government to create this Commission to help us collectively address local infrastructure needs and barriers to growth. Neale’s track record in delivering large-scale projects, such as the Olympic Games, securing growth and propelling regeneration aligns with our own.

“I look forward to working with him, and the wider Growth Commission, to unlock new opportunities that benefit the people here in Oxford - such as reopening the Cowley Branch Line, bringing forward Oxford West End and a new Oxford station - as well as supporting the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and driving economic growth across the UK. This is a chance to work together to deliver the infrastructure, housing and employment opportunities we need to secure a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.”

Sarah Haywood, Managing Director at Advanced Oxford said:

“The Oxford region is already an important contributor to the UK economy, with the potential to contribute even greater sustainable growth as part of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor. To realise this potential, we need to unlock the barriers that are holding us back. Oxfordshire is home to world-leading science and technology companies, working to address global problems, but we need to see these companies scale. That means expanding and developing innovation-focused hubs, improving transport links, aligning our labour markets, and providing the housing needed to attract and retain talent to ensure inclusive growth. These developments will benefit the region, the Growth Corridor, and the UK as a whole. I welcome Neale Coleman’s appointment, and the establishment of the Oxford Growth Commission. Advanced Oxford is committed to supporting its work.”

Further information:
- The Oxford Growth Commission is a joint endeavour with membership consisting of government, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the University of Oxford, and Oxford Brookes, as well as a representative from the local Business Community, Advanced Oxford.
- Membership of the Commission will be made up of 9 representatives including the Ministry of Housing and Homes England, engaging with a range of local partners across the academic, innovation and infrastructure sectors to support delivery of its objectives.
- Neale Coleman’s appointment letter can be read in full here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/appointment-of-oxford-growth-commission-chair).
- The Commission was previously announced by the Chancellor as part of her growth speech (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/reeves-i-am-going-further-and-faster-to-kick-start-the-economy) on 29 January.
Neale Coleman CBE biography:
- Neale led the work on the bid, delivery and legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Greater London Authority from 2000, co-chairing the Olympic Delivery Group and supporting former Mayors of London. He was a Board Member of the Olympic Delivery Authority throughout its life.
- He then took a leading role in embedding the regeneration and growth legacy of the Olympics in East London as Deputy Chair and Chair of the London Legacy Development Corporation.
- Neale chaired the Capital Programme Delivery Board for the successful Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022.
- He was a National Infrastructure Commissioner between 2021 and April 2025 and was then appointed as a member of the Advisory Council to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), the Government’s new centre of expertise for infrastructure and major project strategy and delivery.