OXFORD could become part of a new 'Oxbridge' council region under Government plans to invest in the 'brains belt' between the city and Cambridge. 

The 70 miles of green fields and market towns are already set to see road and rail links built in the coming years. 

Oxford Mail:

Now, according to the Sunday Times, housing secretary Sajid Jajvid is about to announce the creation of up to five new 'garden towns' in the area. 

Under the plans, nearly 10,000 new homes could be built in Bicester - one of the key towns along the 'corridor' - with developments also planned in Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Central Befordshire and Cambridge.

The map above shows the location of possible new housing sites marked in green.

A powerful regional authority could also be created, modelled on the body that oversaw the Olympics, to oversee planning. 

Mr Javid will tomorrow unveil a new 'National Planning Policy Framework' which could see 'Nimby' councils stripped of their planning powers if they do not build enough homes. 

The Government believes the investment will help make the area into Britain's equivalent of Silicon Valley. 

Other suggested names for the potential new region include CaMKOx or 'Turing Arch', named after the mathematician Alan Turing.