It is not easy for a younger sibling to make their mark when the elder is at the very top of their profession. So it is for Oxford Brookes University. It lived in the shadow of centuries-old and world-famous University of Oxford for a long time.
Not so today. Since becoming one of the new universities a few years ago, Oxford Brookes has established itself as one of the best among its peers.
Student numbers are growing and Oxford is now firmly established as a two-university city. Not only that, but there can be few cities of this size in the world that boast two universities of such high status.
It is clear from our report today that Brookes is not going to rest on its laurels. In its own way, it aims to present as bold a stamp on its quarter of the city as the University of Oxford has in the centre.
We welcome its proposal to create an iconic building at the centre of Headington and to make bold statements with contemporary architecture.
Headington is already dominated by Brookes and the hospitals. That has come at a price. The streets are congested, parking is difficult and there is great pressure on housing.
Brookes says its redevelopment will meet the needs of the local community. That may be easier said than done.
Creating more student housing will be a good thing. It takes pressure off the local housing stock. This has to be done sensitively, however. We have reported on a number of occasions the concern of residents at large student developments and the loss of traditional housing.
Locating the University's community facilities directly on to Headington Road will be welcomed, but of more importance is how Brookes deals with the most contentious issue of parking and traffic.
This will not be simple. The planners are unlikely to allow Brookes to create any more car parking spaces. Solutions will need to be innovative.
The redevelopment of the Brookes campus can only be a good thing. It is a huge opportunity to improve the built environment in Headington and it is an opportunity to redress some of the fallout from the piecemeal development of recent decades.
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