Oxford 'Science Cities' January 2026

Image: the Daubeny Project at Oxford Science Park where Construction has started on three new state-of-the-art laboratory and office buildings part of a commercial life science development, expected to complete in 2026 with construction by Mace Group (Image: Scott Brownrigg and The Oxford Science Park (TOSP)

Future Cities Forum is holding its January 'Science Cities' discussion event at Said Business School in Oxford to look at the latest developments and investments in science buildings in Oxford, as well as the growing economy of the city.

The city continues its work for all workers to be paid the living wage and has appointed new Chairs of the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership (ZCOP) and of the newly formed Oxford Strategic Rail Promoters’ Group, which will champion coordinated rail investment to unlock growth as well as enhance connectivity.

Developer Mission Street has been working on science developments in the city and most importantly around the railway station. Fabrica is one of these developments.

Developer Mission Street's Artem Korolev, stated at our September 'Global Tech Cities' event in Cambridge:

'Our business model has been that of a move away from the traditional science park concept to shift R&D into a district of a city. That was driven by a number of points and one of those is to attract talent, which is why developed buildings at Oxford's West End station district. We drew companies away from the Oxford Science Park, as many of those employees live in London and therefore wanted to locate next to the station, to make it an easier commute. You don't have to drive to get to the city amenities and employees like that. You are part of a wider urban environment rather than in distinct position. Buildings do need to have a brand, however. Some years ago there was a bit of a bubble in life sciences development and it was all about getting an Oxford and Cambridge postcode and the buildings looked all the same.

'We differentiate by thinking about target companies for our buildings. Our first phase in Oxford called Inventa is aimed at Series A and B companies who are evolving out of incubator space, such as the Oxford University BioEscalator. Fifty per cent at Inventa is let to biotech businesses and the other to AI companies and that mix has evolved from where we started. Our second phase is a much bigger new build called Fabrica which targets businesses at the next stage of growth and we are talking with a bigger listed company about taking a whole floor. We have to look at where buildings fit into the ecosystem. We won't attract every type of company. There are some uses which are much more suited to being out-of-town and then there are those who need a budget solution.'

Construction firm Bowmer + Kirkland is building Fabrica on the Botley Road. The project has a value of £190 million, with a floor space of 180,000 square feet with a mix of laboratories and offices space, including 7,000 square feet of public facing amenities and a cafe. It is set to be Oxford's first Living Wage Building.

Last year Mace was awarded a £184 million contract to deliver the next expansion phase at The Oxford Science Park, the Daubeny Project. The landmark project will see the construction of three new state-of-the-art laboratory and office buildings, further cementing Oxford's position as a world-leading centre for scientific innovation. The expansion will add 450,000 sq ft of premium laboratory and office space to the park, addressing the critical demand for high-quality facilities in the thriving life sciences sector. The Oxford Science Park is majority owned by Magdalen College, Oxford, and is at the heart of its strategy to support discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The new buildings are designed with sustainability and occupant well-being as primary considerations, featuring biodiverse landscaping, extensive photo-voltaic energy generation and optimised building orientation for natural light and energy efficiency. Mace, in collaboration with the client and the design team, has been working to ensure that sustainability translates into the build, using innovative ground engineering solutions that will save around 3000 tonnes of embodied carbon. The facades will also be the largest use of recycled aluminium for a stick curtain wall project in the UK, saving over 500 tonnes of embodied carbon.

Another important development in the city is Oxford North, the state-of-the-art, flagship new global innovation district for Oxford, which has consent for circa one million sq ft (92,903 sq m)of newly developed, flexible lab and office accommodation, and which has been officially opened by Lord Hague of Richmond, Chancellor of the University of Oxford. With a £1.2 billion gross development value, the district is being delivered by Oxford North Ventures, a joint venture (JV) between Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College; Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, a leading global investor; and development and asset manager Stanhope.

Underscoring the JV’s commitment to the UK science and technology sectors, it provides a blueprint for how state-of-the-art innovation assets, conceptualised and designed based on global insights and in proximity to world-leading academic institutions, can enable the next century of life- changing discoveries.

Oxford North will cater to the whole science, technology and AI ecosystem, from start-ups and spinouts through to global giants, offering the full lifecycle of space, from fitted labs and turnkey solutions through to grow-on space and bespoke buildings. The development is well-positioned to capture the growing demand from abroad spectrum of companies, led by those in the AI, quantum computing, biotech and food tech sectors, to help support the growth of the UK’s life science, technology and innovation industries.

Sustainability is embedded into the scheme’s design, to ensure the delivery of positive local environmental and social benefits, with an ambition to push beyond conventional practice to deliver a ‘net positive’ development. Since August 2021, more than 2,000 construction personnel have been working on the site, including over 50 apprentices, and the district is forecast to boost the economy by £150 million per year in GVA.

ZERO CARBON AND RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE APPOINTMENTS

Oxford City Council has been reporting on new appointments in the zero carbon and rail infrastructure areas. Philip Sharman has been appointed as the new Chair of the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership (ZCOP). The appointment marks a key milestone for the Partnership, as it continues to expand its work across the county to accelerate progress towards a net zero and climate-resilient Oxfordshire. 

First established by Oxford City Council in 2021, ZCOP has successfully brought together collaboration between Oxford’s large businesses and organisations across the city, working towards the ambition to achieving net zero as a city by 2040.    

The partnership has won over £1.2million funding to deliver projects promoting sustainable travel, retrofitting, and industrial decarbonisation across Oxford. 

Philip Sharman brings extensive experience from across industry, government, and academia, with a career spanning over 40 years in the fields of low-carbon energy, sustainability, and climate change mitigation. He has held a range of executive and non-executive roles, chaired numerous advisory and expert committees, and led high-performing teams delivering science and technology-based programmes.  

Meanwhile, Rob Brighouse has been announced as the independent Chair of the newly formed Oxford Strategic Rail Promoters’ Group. The group will champion coordinated rail investment to unlock growth, enhance connectivity, and support a sustainable, inclusive future for Oxford. One of the first priorities will be to help move forward plans to reopen the Cowley Branch Line to passengers. 

Rob joins representatives from the Department of Transport, Oxford Growth Commission, local MPs, Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council to form the advisory group. Rob Brighouse has extensive experience in the rail industry, including leadership roles in major UK and international infrastructure projects. He was Managing Director of Chiltern Railways, where he oversaw record growth and opened the Oxford route. Rob also chaired the East West Railway Company and served as a Non-Executive Director on the Network Rail Board for over eight years. He continues to lead strategic transport initiatives and holds roles across public and charitable sectors. 

Reopening the Cowley Branch Line, Oxford City Council says will bring wide-ranging benefits to Oxford and the surrounding area:

'It is forecast to attract almost one million return journeys each year, providing quicker and more sustainable connections between Cowley and the city centre.  The scheme represents high value for money, supporting government growth priorities in areas of need, unlocking thousands of new homes, and enabling the creation of up to 10,000 new jobs. It will also help reduce congestion, cut carbon emissions, and provide the rail capacity needed to support East West Rail. 

In terms of the overall city economy, Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, has written to the Government to urge a quick decision on Oxford United’s new stadium. The new 16,000-seater stadium, on land just south of Kidlington Roundabout, was given planning permission by Cherwell District Council in August. However, due to the size of the development, the application has been referred to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed MP, for a decision.

Oxford City Council has also created a new Champion for events, live music and the night-time economy. The Leader of the Council, announced that Councillor James Taylor will take on the new role. The aim is for him to champion the importance of a vibrant cultural offer and nightlife within the city and the wider community, and provide insight and advice to Cabinet Members for decision-making. Councillor Taylor will work closely alongside Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, and Councillor Lubna Arshad, Cabinet Member for a Safer Oxford.

In terms of the Pride of Place Programme Greater Leys has been awarded £20m from the Government as part of a ten year investment to support the local community. The Pride in Place Programme (PiPP) is a UK-wide programme aiming to invest in disadvantaged neighbourhoods across the country. The funding will provide 75 towns across the UK with up to £20 million each (totalling £1.5 billion) over 10 years. In Oxford, Greater Leys – which covers most of Northfield Brook Ward and some of the Blackbird Leys Ward - has been selected to receive funding through the programme.  

Oxford is the UK’s second most unequal city, and ten out of Oxford’s 83 neighbourhoods are amongst the 20% most deprived in England - this includes the Greater Leys area. In Oxford, the Leys (consisting of both Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys), there are a much higher proportion of households classified as ‘deprived’ according to the 2021 Census than the average for Oxford City and Oxfordshire. The Pride in Place funding aims to bring together local communities to help make decisions and changes to their areas through Neighbourhood Boards.  The Neighbourhood Board will be responsible for producing a 10 year vision for Greater Leys, supported by interventions which are set out in the Regeneration Plan, to achieve the strategic objectives of the programme. 

Currently the Blackbird Leys area is undergoing regeneration, which will include a new, modern purpose-built community centre, designed with input from the community, as well as the creation of 294 new homes across Knights Road and the District Centre, along with significant investment in local infrastructure and public spaces.   

Above: CGI showing design proposals - which have planning permission - for the re-purposing of a former department store in Queen Street in Oxford's City centre into flexible office space including options for life sciences, view looking north up the High towards Headington and the Cowley Road (Courtesy MICA Architects)

Oxford has also been working hard to progress the conversion of redundant department stores in the city centre for potential life sciences and flexible office use and this has been led by the Crown Estate working with Oxford Science Enterprises on the redevelopment of Debenhams close to the Martyrs' Memorial . Also MICA Architects - which has successfully completed a range of projects in Oxford for the Ashmolean Museum and for Oxford University colleges - is working with FORA and The Office Group to develop designs for vibrant co-working environments in the heart of the evolving centre of the city.

The proposals retrofit the large existing department store in Queen Street to provide an innovative and high quality co-working environment and life science. The building features a major new entrance to St Ebbe’s Street and is unified by a multi-level lightwell and topped by a large roof garden.

MICA and the design team undertook a holistic review of the spaces including space planning, environmental modelling and reshaping of volumes. This has resulted in creating light filled, efficient and modern spaces that are flexible to be occupied as life science and offices.

The works include the upgrade of the external envelope, introduction of new fossil free services provision, densification with further office accommodation within the roof space and introduction of lightwells to improve the quality of spaces.

A WLC assessment did take place for the options which informed particularly the new built elements and services.

The flexible plan and layout combining life science and office allows the building to have a robust positioning towards the future. Various plan layouts and services strategies were reviewed and incorporated into the design.

The buildings connection to the city is improved by introduction of new entrances, new public realm work and improvement of biodiversity by a new roof garden.