In an open letter, sent to Oxfordshire County Council, a group led by estate agent Savills and including developers and university colleges, has predicted a hit to new home delivery and business funding if new parking standards are not dropped soon.

They also said the new rules may lead to existing communities being charged to park on the street, outside their own homes.

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Delivered on Wednesday, June 17, the letter was signed by David Jackson, director at estate agents Savills, on behalf of Oxford University Development, as well as Brasenose, Christ Church, Exeter, Magdalen, New, Nuffield and St John’s colleges.

The university and colleges are involved in a number of building projects around the city including Begbroke and Oxford North innovation districts, and 1,450-home Bayswater Brook.

An aerial view of the innovation area at Begbroke Science Park Photo: Cavendish

In addition, developers Bellway Homes, Catesby Estates, Dorchester Residential Management and Greencore Homes were also signatories.

The group stressed that they support the council’s overall transport objectives including reducing car usage and increasing active travel but are “deeply concerned” about the 2026 standards.

These were adopted at a council meeting on April 21, and it was proposed they should apply to the entire county.

David Jackson, director at estate agents Savills (Image: Savills)

In his letter, Mr Jackson highlighted the introduction of a new category for residential development ‘Car Light’ and changes to the previously existing ‘Car Free’ communities.

‘Car Light’ is a new distinction for which a reduced level of parking provision is mandated, with 50 per cent of parking required to be on the street.

The tweaks to the ‘Car Free’ communities, which will see acceptable walking distances increased, would significantly extend the area in which new homes will have to be built with no parking provision.

The Red Hall under construction at Oxford North development (Image: Ed Nix)

The leader of Oxfordshire County Council denied the new parking standards were about being “anti-car”.

Tim Bearder said: “Oxfordshire is being asked to accommodate very significant housing and employment growth over the coming decades, but we cannot endlessly widen roads or build ever more parking spaces.”

The Liberal Democrat explained that if car use grows unchecked, congestion will worsen, creating difficulties for those who have no alternative to driving.

Councillor Tim Bearder (Image: Tim Bearder)

In addition, parking spaces take up land and reduce the number of homes that can be delivered.

Mr Bearder, who was named leader only last month, said transport had to be balanced, with developments prioritised for areas where public transport is an option.

“If we fail to plan for that now,” he said, “the scale of growth being imposed on Oxfordshire will overwhelm a transport network that is already under considerable pressure”.

A proposed bridge at the Bayswater Brook development (Image: Christ Church/Dorchester Residential Management)

However, Mr Jackson and those behind him have made dire warnings following the introduction of the 2026 standards and have called on the local authority to withdraw them and undertake a full and open consultation on how the previous rules might be adapted.

If left, the group warned the measures would “undermine, or at the least significantly delay, the delivery of much-needed homes” including affordable properties.

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They added: “They are likely to give rise to a withdrawal of investment from new business and commercial spaces consequent on the drop in the attractiveness of Oxfordshire as a location for businesses to move to.”

In addition, existing communities may well be impacted, said Mr Jackson, as a requirement for ‘Car Free’ projects will be that Controlled Parking Zones will be introduced into communities near developments to manage the risk of overspill parking in roads next to developments.

He said: “This will have the effect of requiring residents in those neighbouring communities to pay an annual fee to park on street.”

Intralink has urged UK technology companies to pursue opportunities arising from a new Japan-UK investment agreement, pointing to growing commercial interest between the two countries.

Richard Lyle, Deputy Managing Director of Japan at Intralink and President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, said the agreement could encourage more UK businesses to seek funding, customers and partnerships in Japan.

He linked the deal to a broader run of agreements between London and Tokyo, adding that Japanese investment in Britain is expected to focus on areas including clean energy, particularly hydrogen and offshore wind, in line with the UK’s renewable energy goals.

Japan’s investment relationship with the UK has shifted over the past three decades, Lyle said. Earlier waves were associated with manufacturers such as Toyota, Nissan and Sony setting up operations in Britain. Current priorities, he said, are moving towards infrastructure, energy and property.

At the same time, Japanese industry is trying to strengthen its position in strategic technologies. Lyle said the country wants greater self-reliance in fields such as semiconductors, clean energy and artificial intelligence, but faces domestic constraints that create openings for overseas partners.

Strategic sectors

That demand could be relevant for British technology groups working in software, research and science-led industries. The agreement may help UK companies attract investment from Japanese corporates, sell into the Japanese market and work with Japanese businesses expanding in Britain.

Defence is one of the sectors drawing increasing attention, according to Lyle. He described a shift in approach in Japan as companies look abroad for collaboration in areas linked to national resilience and security.

“The trading relationship between the UK and Japan has been growing rapidly, with this deal the latest in a series of agreements in recent years, emerging from the Hiroshima Accord. Investments in the UK will be in areas such as clean energy, including hydrogen and offshore wind, helping the UK achieve its renewable energy targets,” Lyle said.

His comments suggest the latest agreement forms part of a wider effort to deepen economic ties. He said the bilateral relationship is stronger than at any point in his three decades of work in Japan.

“This new, deeper collaboration is a natural progression, and the trading relationship feels stronger now than at any point in my long experience of working in Japan to foster business links between the two countries.

“Japan has always been a major investor in the UK, but the relationship has transformed since the 1990s, when traditional Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota, Nissan and Sony established operations there.

“Today, Japan’s priority is to invest more in infrastructure, especially energy and property. The country is also determined to become self-reliant in emerging technologies, including semiconductors, clean energy and AI. Limitations in its domestic capabilities mean it urgently needs support from friendly nations such as the UK to fill technology and supply chain gaps in these critical sectors.

“This demand, boosted by the new agreement, represents a significant opportunity for UK tech companies to secure strategic funding from Japanese corporates, sell their technologies in Japan and do business with Japanese companies as they expand their investments in the UK. Essentially, there is a major opportunity to bring together the UK’s strengths in software, scientific advancement and R&D with Japan’s prowess in hardware and advanced manufacturing,” he said.

Market entry

Lyle said British businesses often hold back from entering Asian markets because they see them as difficult to navigate. He argued that Japan now offers a more accessible opening for UK companies willing to commit time and develop a local strategy.

He pointed to British groups already active in the market, including Tokamak Energy and Octopus Energy through its joint venture with Tokyo Gas. He also said the Japanese government wants to double foreign direct investment by 2030 and is encouraging more overseas companies to establish a presence in the country.

Another area he highlighted was defence-related technology, where Japan’s changing security outlook is shaping demand for external collaboration, including in cyber security, quantum computing and space-related work.

“Defence has been a sensitive subject in Japan since World War II. The country has a pacifist constitution and defence contractors here do not openly talk about their work.

“But with growing geopolitical tensions, and with the country feeling it can no longer rely on the US, there is a need for greater self-reliance. Japanese companies, perhaps ironically, are increasingly looking for overseas collaborations to achieve this, including in advanced technology areas such as cyber security, quantum computing and space innovation.

“Japan is also looking to double its foreign direct investment by 2030, with the government keen to encourage overseas companies, including those from the UK, to enter the country. Many UK firms have already done so successfully. Fusion energy company Tokamak Energy is one example, as is Octopus Energy through its joint venture with Tokyo Gas,” he said.

Intralink’s message is that the commercial case for entering Japan has strengthened, even if old assumptions still deter some companies.

“Entering Asian markets is perceived as challenging and there is a tendency among UK companies to regard them as just ‘too difficult’. However, the prospects now on offer in Japan are too good to be missed. A growing number of UK companies are demonstrating that, with the right strategy and approach, the opportunities are well within reach,” Lyle said.

The two retail units in Bicester’s Sheep Street have been listed together, along with storage accommodation and three self contained flats.

Bicester Toys and Thorntons chocolate shop represent “long-standing” retail occupiers according to estate agency Carter Jonas with a combined rental income of £91,260 per annum across the properties.

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Indeed, the toy shop is a popular destination in the town with a 4.1 star rating based on over 60 Google Reviews.

Mr Cowell visited the shop in February this year, reportedly to buy Lego for his son.

Andy Rumney met Simon Cowell in a Bicester Toy shop this weekend (Image: Andy Rumney)

The TV star is known for his appearances as a talent show judge, starring on the X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol over the years.

He now lives in Oxfordshire with his fiancée, Lauren Silverman, as well as his child, Eric.

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A fellow shopper at Bicester Toys described him as “very friendly”.

Andy Rumney said: “He was also very happy to chat to us about our four year old Shih-Poo called Tilly as he’s a huge dog lover, and they had their dog with them which was a lovely German Shepherd.

“He was also very happy happy to chat to the staff in the shop as apparently he’s in there a lot buying Lego for his son.”