'Exciting' science plans on the boil in Oxford's West End

6:32pm Friday 20th November 2009

By Andrew Ffrench

HOPES have been raised that Oxford could soon play host to a world class science centre.

Science Oxford is in talks with Oxfordshire County Council about buying of one of its main city centre sites.

Macclesfield House in New Road, which opened in the late 1960s, was the headquarters of the council’s education department for many years, but last November was put up for sale.

About 350 staff were based at the building, which sits in the middle of the city’s West End regeneration area, but many have been moved to new offices in Cowley and only 110 workers remain on site.

Talks between Science Oxford, which runs a science and innovation centre off St Clement’s, and the council are continuing.

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “A preferred purchaser has been appointed.

“However, contracts have not yet been signed and the identity of the purchaser and the price must therefore remain confidential.”

Colin Cook, Oxford City Council’s executive member for city development, said: “I understand the county council and Science Oxford are in advanced negotiations over the sale of Macclesfield House.

“With Oxford Castle Unlocked next door, you would have history and science side by side and this would attract stacks of school kids – it would give them a proper day out. This would be a real draw for school pupils from all over the place, and it would mean they wouldn’t necessarily have to go to London.”

Tony Joyce, chairman of the Oxford Civic Society, said he was aware of the negotiations and added: “The West End Area Action Plan suggests that a museum could be one of site’s allocated uses.

“To my knowledge, Macclesfield House is not a listed building, which means, in theory, there would be nothing to prevent it from being demolished.

“I hope any redevelopment of the site would be done in a sympathetic and exciting fashion.”

Debbie Dance, a spokesman for the Oxford Preservation Trust, added: “It is lovely to see continuing regeneration ideas in the West End.”

A section of Science Oxford’s website called “Our Future” shows an ambitious curved, glass-fronted building accompanied by the statement: “We want to create a world-class cultural centre for science and enterprise.”

There is nothing to indicate Science Oxford intends to replace Macclesfield House with a building of that particular design, and Science Oxford refused to let the Oxford Mail reproduce it in the paper.

Mr Joyce said: “Modern science obviously deserves a modern and exciting building.”