Plans for a new UK research and innovation district, known as EXOq, adjacent to Oxford Parkway Station at the intersection of the Oxfordshire Knowledge Spine and the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, will be unveiled at a public exhibition.
Exeter College, Oxford has developed the proposals for EXOq, which aim to enhance Oxford’s reputation for scientific research and innovation. Central to the proposal is the Sovereign High-Performance Compute (HPC) infrastructure, which will power and accelerate research. The project has been named after Exeter College, Oxford, with the ‘q’ representing the site’s suitability for research and innovation, the Sovereign High-Performance Compute (HPC) infrastructure, which will power and accelerate research of global significance, helping to advance quantum computing.
Preliminary analysis suggests that the economic impact of EXOq would be a gross value add (GVA) of c. £1.4bn per annum once operational, of which the direct benefit to Cherwell District would be a GVA of c. £0.9 billion per annum. In terms of employment, the analysis suggests EXOq would create c. 7,000 jobs, of which c. 4,600 would be in Cherwell District.
Supercomputing is already playing a key role in groundbreaking discoveries in particle physics, advanced materials, health, climate, engineering, robotics and computer science itself. The connected innovation units at EXOq will provide opportunities for companies, both large and small, to access computing infrastructure in order to accelerate research.
The data centres will be quantum compatible and will also offer a trusted research environment for various data (including, for example, NHS data) to underpin the creation of intellectual property.
The land identified for EXOq is owned by Exeter College and spans either side of the A4260 Frieze Way, between the Oxford Canal and the A34.
The site, located within Cherwell District, benefits from unparalleled access, being adjacent to Parkway Station on one side and the canal towpath on the other, offering active travel options to Oxford and Kidlington. The development will be linked to Oxford Parkway station via a new foot and cycle bridge.
From a sustainability perspective, the hot water created by the liquid-cooled data centres will enable the development of district heating systems in Oxford and the local area in Cherwell District. EXOq is in discussions with 1Energy a low-carbon city heat network developer, which has secured £21m of investment from the government for a city-wide heat network for Oxford.
Rector of Exeter College, Dr Andrew Roe CB, said: “This strategic development represents a significant investment in both national capability and the local community.”
Finance & Estates Bursar of Exeter College, Nicholas Badman, said, “EXOq’s sovereign HPC infrastructure will power and accelerate research of global significance and associated commercial ventures, building on and enhancing Oxford’s world-renowned status.”
