Bidders eye £150m Oxford Science Park deal

Contractors are eyeing the next phase of life sciences work being planned for Oxford with a £150m scheme at the city’s science park the latest deal to be put up for grabs.

Oxford Science Park, which is majority owned by Magdalen College, Oxford, is home to over 3,000 people and more than 100 businesses.

The park has recently submitted plans for three new laboratory and office buildings on Plots 23-26 of the site with work slated to start early next year and be completed by the end of 2024.

In all, 400,000 sq ft of laboratory and office facilities will be built to provide space for existing park occupiers and new arrivals.

Building understands a shortlist of contractors for the work is still being drawn up but those expected to be on it include Mace, Laing O’Rourke and Sir Robert McAlpine. Bouygues is also thought to be in the mix.

The buildings have been designed by Scott Brownrigg with others working on the deal including project manager Bidwells, M&E consultant Hoare Lea and QS Alinea.

The park was opened in 1991 and is home to start-ups as well as major firms including Blue Earth Diagnostics, Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Intuitive Surgical.

Oxford Science Park said it wants to create over 500,000 sq ft of additional laboratory and office space over the next three years.

The deal comes after Mace was confirmed last month as the winner of a £50m job to expand Oxford University’s Begbroke Science Park.

Designed by NBBJ Architects, Mace is expected to complete the work in early 2024.

Others working on this scheme include project manager Buro Four, QS Aecom, M&E engineer Hoare Lea and structural engineer Ramboll. Work involves two new buildings to provide a total of around 135,000 sq ft of lab and office space.

The deal is being developed under a wider £4bn partnership the university struck with Legal & General in 2019 and is being spearheaded by Oxford University Development, a joint venture company set up by the pair.