Plan to build new lab in Temple Cowley Oxford Business Park

Applicant Advanced Research Clusters GP (ARC) would like to construct a new laboratory-enabled office building for research and development at Plot 5000 John Smith Drive of the Oxford Business Park.

A planning paper for the application says: "Outside of market conditions, this area of Oxford is undergoing significant change.

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"The reintroduction of rail passenger services along the Cowley Branch Line is recognised in the Local Plan as amounting to a strategic ‘area of change’ opportunity with the potential to make more efficient use of land through the intensification of sites as the sustainability of the location increases.

Illustrative masterplan. (Image: Oxford City Council.)

"This is vitally important in the context of employment land in Oxford more generally which is already recognised as being of finite amount and more pronounced heritage constraints in more central locations."

The site area for the proposed development is 1.08 hectares and a total of 147 car parking spaces would be provided, five of which are blue badge, as well as 123 cycle parking spaces.

The park, now known as ARC, includes more than 35 science and innovation businesses, covers 88 acres and has more than 3,500 members on campus.

Oxford is expected to have its stock of office and laboratory buildings soar over the next few years as developers work to complete more than 700,000 square feet of new space.

CoStar, a commercial real estate research company, said more business and life science space is being built in Oxford, as a percentage of its existing stock, than any other place in the country outside of London.

Empty Oxford business park plots.

A planning paper adds: "The vision for Plot 5000 sees the landscape designed around the core values of climate, character and community.

"The intent is to create a joyful, attractive and aspirational work environment incorporating improved cyclist and pedestrian connections into and across the campus, vibrant new public amenity space, and enhancements to the campus’ identity, sense of place and sense of arrival.

"The proposals deliver a multi-layered landscape for the plot with a range of distinct character areas which aim to maximise available external space and compliment the architecture."

Plot 5000. (Image: Oxford City Council.) The application will be considered by city councillors in due course. 

It comes after plans for a five-storey city centre science lab in Hythe Bridge Street were submitted to the city council earlier this year

Under the plans, the existing 1970s Beaver House building, used as office space, would be demolished alongside the two restaurants next door.

The new Life Science Facility would be known as 'Bridge Labs' adjacent to the Oxford rail station.

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About the author

Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county. 

She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.

Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi