Greyarc Investments has secured planning consent for the refurbishment, reuse and extension of the former Oxfam HQ at Oxford Business Park.
Greyarc intends to convert Building 2700 at the park into the OxBio Hub innovation campus, which will provide CL2 lab ready spaces ranging from 4,000 sq ft to 130,851 sq ft for occupiers in the sciences and deep tech sectors.
The consent allows for the erection of a new rooftop extension to create an additional floor and roof plant area with balcony space, enabling research and development and office use within Use Class E.
The approved plans also include the relocation of the building’s main entrance to the southern elevation with the addition of a new colonnade, alongside architectural improvements such as alterations to fenestration, new cladding and the insertion of louvres.
Angus Bates, director at Greyarc Investments, said: “We are delighted to have secured planning approval, a key milestone in bringing OxBio Hub to life. It was particularly encouraging to see that all members were very supportive and understood that by reusing, refurbishing, and extending the existing building, we are capturing embodied carbon while delivering high quality, flexible space for companies working across sciences and deep tech.
“Oxford continues to see strong demand for well-located, adaptable laboratory and innovation space. With excellent connectivity and proximity to the city’s research institutions and talent base, OxBio Hub is well positioned to support the next generation of companies growing in Oxford.”
