BOSSES at a hi-tech centre for business are searching for more space after becoming fully occupied.

The Oxford Centre for Innovation, based in New Road, Oxford is now home to 46 companies employing more than 160 staff.

And nine more businesses are on the waiting list hoping to move in when space becomes available.

Managers are now wanting to find more premises in a bid to cope with demand from fledgling firms and entrepreneurs.

Centre manager Margaret Hewitt said: “We are looking for another site in Oxford but it is very hard to find.

“Companies want to stay in Oxford because they feel they can attract better staff who don’t want to have to commute.”

The centre opened in the former Oxfordshire County Council building, Macclesfield House, in New Road in 2011 after moving from Mill Street.

Medical imaging software specialist Mirada Medical also made the short journey and in total has moved five times within the centre, growing from a start-up with just five staff to a company which now has 30 employees in Oxford as well as an office in the United States.

Finance director Gail Buswell said: “The flexibility is fantastic and we now occupy a good proportion of the second floor.
 

“We are passionate about being at the centre of the business and scientific community and sharing with other high-growth companies in the technology sector. The Oxford brand is very important to us as well ”
 

Mirada also works closely with Oxford University and all staff either cycle to work or use public transport.
 

Ms Buswell added: “We have a lot of visitors who use the nearby train station. If we moved out to one of the business parks, access would be much harder.”
 

Chris Dore, director of environmental consultancy Aether, said: “We need to lead by example and our staff either walk or cycle.
 

“We often have meetings in London so being five minutes from the station is ideal and there is a strong environmental sector in Oxford which has helped improve our customer base.”
 

The building, owned by the Oxford Trust, was originally going to be part of the site of The Magnet, an ambitious £35m science and innovation centre.
 

But plans were scrapped in January amidst fears it would spoil views of the Oxford Castle mound and mean the demolition of the 100-year-old Oxford Register Office.