First phase of Oxford student village redevelopment complete

Students were able to move into 342 en-suite rooms at Oxford Brookes University's Clive Booth Student Village in time for the new academic year.

There are eight to 10 bedrooms per flat, a shared kitchen, and double beds, with accessible bedrooms also available as part of the redevelopment.

The site is next to the university's Headington campus and a 20-minute walk from the city centre.

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Mark Tugwell, deputy director of estates at Oxford Brookes University, said: “The transformation of the Clive Booth student village site is providing high-quality rooms and social spaces for our students within a picturesque setting near to our Headington campus.

(Image: Morgan Sindall Construction)

"It will also benefit the local community by reducing pressure on the Oxford housing supply by allowing more students to live in excellent student accommodation on our estate."

Students were able to move into the new Fir and Damson buildings for the start of the 2024/25 academic year, following the earlier opening of the Elm Building in January 2024.

Oxford Brookes University's plans to demolish and rebuild the 12 student housing blocks on John Garne Way were finally approved by Oxford City Council's planning review committee in 2021 at the third attempt.

Some of the buildings were put up in the 1970s and needed replacing, said the university.

But residents' groups said more students will "cause substantial harm" to the Headington Hill Conservation Area.

Once the entire student village is redeveloped, it will provide around 1,000 new rooms for the site.

The redevelopment of the student village was recognised in the Oxford Local Plan 2036 which was adopted in June 2020.

The plan also sets a threshold for Oxford Brookes of allowing no more than 4,000 of its students to live outside of University-owned accommodation.

Morgan Sindall Construction painted Oxford Brookes University Nursery, also located on the site, which provides care for children from the local community as well as university staff and students, for free.

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The project created 98 local jobs, 5,604 weeks of apprenticeships and 46 weeks of work experience.

In addition the project generated over £50,000,000 of local economic benefits, significantly boosting the regional economy, said Morgan Sindall.

Former vice-chancellor Professor Sir Clive Booth, after whom the accommodation site is named, unveiled a foundation stone in June 2023 to mark the start of the redevelopment.

James York, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “The project team has created a real community for students that not only boosts the University’s offering but also enhances the lifestyle of students living in the village, where a fresh, modern feel awaits them.”