Construction firm Bowmer & Kirkland has been appointed as the main contractor for Fabrica, a £180 million, five-storey commercial development in the heart of Oxford designed to support the city’s growing science and innovation ecosystem.
Set to begin in May 2025, the 180,000 sq ft scheme will provide high-specification laboratory and office space on Botley Road, within Oxford’s West End innovation district. The project is being led by Mission Street, a specialist in science and innovation developments, in partnership with real estate investment manager BGO.
Fabrica is positioned as a game-changer for the UK’s science property market. It aims to be the first commercial science building in the country to achieve BREEAM Outstanding status, a globally recognised benchmark for sustainability in construction. In addition, the building will be Oxford’s first Living Wage-certified workplace, ensuring all employees working on-site are paid at or above the Living Wage.
This major development follows successful groundworks and site preparation completed by Colemans, with overall project completion targeted for early 2027.
Bowmer & Kirkland’s appointment comes after a fast-tracked procurement process and adds to their growing involvement in the UK’s science and technology sector. The company is also supporting early-stage work on District East, a major 23-acre science scheme in Cambridge led by the same developer-partnership.
Colin Brown, development director at Mission Street, commented: “Fabrica represents the most significant UK science construction start of 2025 so far. The scheme reflects strong demand from science and tech firms seeking centrally located, highly connected spaces in Oxford, particularly with the future East West Rail link on the horizon.”
The development forms the second phase of Oxford’s Central Science District, building on the completion of the Inventa scheme in 2024. The Mission Street and BGO joint venture continues to expand its influence across key innovation hubs, with a pipeline of over 1.5 million sq ft of projects spanning Oxford, Cambridge and Bristol.
Neil Brook, group construction director at Bowmer & Kirkland, added: “We approached this project with a collaborative mindset from the outset, enabling us to complete the tender process in just ten weeks. We’re excited to start work on site with a 96-week build programme ahead.”
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