Oxford City Council entering into a multi-party Collaboration Agreement with Advanced Research Clusters GP Limited, The Oxford Science Park (Properties) Limited, and Ellison Oxford Limited (the Landowners), in order to bring together the local funding and project oversight required to deliver the Design Phase for the Cowley Branch Line.

The Design Phase of the project comprises two parts:

1.    detailed design work to be undertaken by Network Rail for the rail infrastructure (known as PACE Phase 2 in rail industry terminology); and

2.    design-led studies to be procured which will relate to improving the connections to and the from the proposed two new stations, (termed the Infrastructure Place Study for this project.

The funding comprises £565,000 of non-reimbursable “Risk Capital” as well as a further £3,500,000 capable of reimbursement by Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contributions from the Landowners.

The Collaboration Agreement sets a number of terms, to include the process by which contributions towards project costs incurred will be made to Oxford City Council by these parties on an agreed schedule, subject to review and alteration at a joint Programme Panel. It also sets out the scenarios in which and process by which CIL payments would be reimbursed to these parties and how the parties will work together to successfully deliver the project.