A proposal to build a vast new science and innovation district on green belt land north of Oxford has triggered fierce opposition, with campaigners warning of a “tsunami of activity” and questioning the long-term impact on local infrastructure.
A planning application for the Exeter-Oxford Innovation District (EXOq) has now been validated by Cherwell District Council, setting out an ambition to transform a 40-hectare site between the Peartree Interchange and Kidlington into a major research and computing hub.
The scheme, led by Exeter College Oxford, centres on proposals for advanced laboratories, a large data centre described as a “supercomputer” facility, higher education space, retail units, an 180-room hotel, a fire station and around 45 homes for staff and academics.
If approved and delivered, the £900 million development at Frieze Farm near Frieze Way, Gosford, is expected to be built out between 2028 and 2040. Developers estimate it could create around 7,100 jobs and generate up to £1.4 billion annually once fully operational.
The plans also include close to 1,700 parking spaces across multiple structures, despite the district being marketed as a “predominantly car-free campus” due to its proximity to Oxford Parkway Station and planned cycle and pedestrian infrastructure, including a proposed bridge over the A34.
Sustainability forms a central part of the application, with proposals for woodland planting, wetlands, green roofs, landscaped parkland and artificial hills. The development also sets out plans for both onsite and offsite renewable energy generation, including solar power, to support the significant energy demands of the data centre.
However, the scale of the project has prompted strong objections from local residents and campaigners. One submission described fears over traffic congestion and long-term pressure on surrounding road networks, arguing that increased vehicle movements would impose wider economic and social costs on the region.
Concerns were also raised about the impact on everyday travel, with critics warning that congestion could worsen journey times on key routes including the A34 corridor and surrounding Oxfordshire roads.
Despite these concerns, the application maintains that the district will be designed to reduce car dependency, positioning rail and active travel as the primary modes of access.
The development would also retain the Grade II-listed Frieze Farmhouse, with the surrounding farmyard reimagined as landscaped public space integrated into the wider district design.
At the heart of the proposals is what developers describe as an “urgent national need” for high-performance computing infrastructure. The EXOq campus is intended to support research in fields such as climate science, advanced materials, particle physics, space technology, NHS data analysis for drug development, and artificial intelligence.
But the project has also reopened a separate dispute over the future of a nearby golf course. A group known as Greenway, made up of displaced golfers from the former North Oxford Golf Club, has called for the application to be refused, arguing the Frieze Farm site was previously identified as a potential replacement golf location.
They claim assurances were given during earlier local plan discussions that the land could be made available for a relocated course, following the closure of the historic club site in 2025 to make way for housing development linked to land owned by Merton College Oxford, University of Oxford, and Exeter College.
Read more: Oxford University confirms plans for housing on North Oxford Golf Club site
Greenway representatives argue that moving away from that commitment represents a breakdown in trust, while EXOq’s backers maintain that updated evidence shows insufficient demand for additional golf provision in the area.
A spokesperson for the project said the local plan process had identified the land only as a potential site for golf “if required”, and argued that recent assessments show declining participation nationally and limited local need. They also noted that former club members voted to close rather than relocate and received a financial settlement following the sale of their previous site.
The planning application, reference 26/00720/OUT, is currently open for consultation until 18 July. However, uncertainty remains over its future, following a government move that has stripped Cherwell District Council of decision-making powers on major planning applications. As a result, the scheme may ultimately be determined by the Planning Inspectorate rather than locally.
Read more: Planning powers taken from Cherwell Council as government places council in special measures
Reporting contribution by Isabella Harris, Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Oxfordshire, covering local politics, council meetings and planning decisions across six councils in the county.
