As the UK’s fifth-ranked busiest business aviation airport, London Oxford is proposing the development of a new R&D science park on site as it pivots towards offering itself as a a centre for innovation and green tech.
According to the airport, the new £35 million facility would also appeal to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) players and their affiliates, championing innovations in motors, batteries, composites, hydrogen, synthetic and alternative fuels, all of which are already evolving in the vicinity.
The scheme proposes five research and development buildings housed in a green campus environment, offering over 200,400 sq. ft. It will also feature a stand-alone cafe facility, within a generous new landscaped courtyard space. The Science Park will offer space for up to 17 tenants with units from around 7,700 sq.ft. up to 56,300 sq. ft. for a complete building.
In preparation of the planned development which it is estimated will take 24 months to complete, the airport has already begun demolishing some old buildings, including the former 1960s-era Oxford Aviation Services trainee accommodation block.
Commenting on the proposal James Dillon-Godfray, Head of Business Development at London Oxford Airport, said: “While Cambridge has arguably been a frontrunner on courting many R& D enterprises and start-ups in the last couple of decades, Oxford has definitely caught up. It’s very much the most vibrant, top choice city now for fostering innovation. This new initiative answers some of Oxfordshire’s demand for high-quality, laboratory enabled space for technology and life science companies to grow and thrive.”
Further cementing Oxford’s position as a leader in the life science and R&D research sectors, the development will sit alongside similar local developments located close to the airport, including Oxford Technology Park and Begbroke Science Park.
