Scott Brownrigg designs for flagship life science campus in Oxford approved for planning

Proposals to transform the underused Eastpoint Business Park in Oxford into a new flagship life science campus have been approved for planning by Oxford City Council. Designed by Scott Brownrigg for Railpen, the scheme will bring an additional 200,000 sq ft much needed life science space to the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and provide a focal point for interaction with STEM and educational outreach within the local community.

The site for the new life science campus is located adjacent to The Oxford Academy, five miles southeast of Oxford city centre in the district of Littlemore. Three four-storey laboratory buildings and a single storey amenity building are carefully positioned to buffer noise and pollution from the A road to the North, define a new public space, and enhance permeability across the site.

Each fully serviced building is designed to suit a range of tenants and provide flexibility in occupancy, with 55% CL2 laboratory and 45% office space to support cutting-edge research and collaboration. A contextual material palette with distinctive horizontal banding and vertical flues references Oxford’s history while ensuring comfortable and naturally lit spaces within and views out.

An emphasis on facilitating safe pedestrianised movement, activating ground floor frontages, and provision of high- quality public amenities supports the creation of an inclusive environment that contributes positively to the social, ecological, and educational fabric of Littlemore. A ‘Learning Lab’ will provide local students with access to state-of-the- art facilities and interactions with professionals in the field, while a publicly accessible café, social hub and green space will create a communal focus at the heart of the site.

The scheme targets BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, WELL, Wired and Smart Platinum and Cycle Score Platinum with features such as the ‘Travel & Energy hub’ to promote sustainable travel and pocket parks with integrated planting to enhance user wellbeing. A fabric first approach combined with the latest building technology, renewable energy, and biodiverse balconies and roofscapes will reduce embodied and operational carbon and enhance biodiversity on site.

Ed Hayden, Director and Head of Life Sciences at Scott Brownrigg said: “Securing planning approval for the Eastpoint Life Science Campus is a significant milestone in our vision to create world-class research environments. This project not only addresses the growing demand for life science space in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, but also contributes to the community with its focus on education, sustainability, and wellbeing. We’re excited to see how this campus will foster innovation and bring global talent to Oxford.”

The new Eastpoint life science campus development is a cutting-edge facility designed to attract to industry leading talent from around the world. With a flexible, community focused design and commitment to sustainability, the new campus is poised to become a leader in life sciences in the Oxford market.