Milton Park
Milton Park, between Didcot and Abingdon next to the A34 Milton Interchange, is described by its owner MEPC as the UK’s largest single-owner science, business and technology community. With Harwell Campus it forms the core of the Science Vale employment area and is a major employer within commuting distance of Wantage and Grove.
What changed in 2025
Since 2012 much of Milton Park has had a Local Development Order (LDO). This is a form of simplified planning in which qualifying buildings are approved through a short notification process rather than a full planning application. In January 2025 Vale of White Horse District Council adopted a refreshed LDO, which allows the park to grow to a total of 4.2 million sq ft and can clear approvals in about ten days. It runs to 2040, alongside the park’s own “2040 Vision”.
The new order comes with what the council believes is the UK’s first Section 106 agreement driven by traffic data. Road improvements are triggered by measured traffic levels entering the park, recorded by sensors, rather than by the amount of floorspace occupied. The aim is to encourage staff to travel by bus, bike and on foot.
By the numbers
- 280+ companies and 9,000+ people
- 4.2 million sq ft maximum size under the new LDO
- More than £2m towards new cycle routes
- The 2012 LDO supported about 1,000 jobs and 734,000 sq ft of development
What it means locally
For people living around Wantage, Grove and Steventon, the most tangible benefit may be the planned cycle path from Milton Park to Steventon avoiding the Milton Interchange, plus a cycle link between Sutton Courtenay and Abingdon. Both are subject to feasibility. The park also contributes to bus services run with Thames Travel. Its occupiers range from life sciences to fusion energy. More growth here means more skilled jobs within reach of the Vale, and more demand for homes and transport in the area.
How to follow it
LDO notifications and related documents are on the Vale council’s Milton Park LDO page. Park news is on the Milton Park website.