PLANS for homes and offices in a new ‘science district’ to rival the likes of Silicon Valley-style tech parks in America have had their final sign off.

The final legal contracts for the Oxford North development were signed yesterday (Wednesday), meaning landowner St John’s College can begin works more than a year after getting planning permission for the site.

The college’s development company Thomas White Oxford has said Oxford North will create 480 new home, of which at least 35 per cent will be affordable, and as many as 4,500 jobs for the city on fields centred around the A40, A34 and A44 north of the Wolvercote Roundabout.

But the site has proved unpopular with some, and a campaign group which called for the new development to be replaced with a forest to halt biodiversity loss have said they will continue to fight it.

ALSO READ: Netflix drama filming in Oxford - guide to road closures

Professor Andrew Parker, St John’s College said: “The news today that Oxford North has the green light is the culmination of many years of working collaboratively with Oxford City Council, and Oxfordshire County Council for highways, whose vision has been for the area to become home to a science and technology community, with much-needed new homes and vital infrastructure improvements.

“The College is heavily committed to creating a place, not just to facilitate life-enhancing science and technology discoveries, but a new district of Oxford where people want to live, visit and learn.”

After planning permission was granted in November 2019, St John’s has now agreed a contract for community works around the site, known as a Section 106 agreement, with the city council.

The college has promised a commitment to biodiversity, improved bus services and changes to nearby roads.

It has also promised to provide £8 million for community projects in the nearby area, as well as green open public spaces on the Oxford North site, public art, and affordable homes.

Last week, Oxford residents lined up placards against the wall of St John’s College on St Giles to protest the new site on environmental grounds.

Oxford residents angry about plans to build a huge 440-home development and offices north of the city have left placards outside St JohnÕs college, which owns the land. 19/03/2021 Picture by Ed Nix

Oxford residents angry about plans to build a huge 440-home development and offices north of the city have left placards outside St JohnÕs college, which owns the land. 19/03/2021 Picture by Ed Nix

A manifesto from the campaigners called for it to be replaced with a new forest to improve local biodiversity, and for offices and shops left vacant by the pandemic to be reclaimed as affordable homes to help address Oxford’s housing crisis.

Carol Peaker, who organised the socially-distanced protest, said she and other residents of Wolvercote would not be ‘bought off’ by the promises the college had made.

Dr Peaker added: “It is extraordinary that this agreement was published as Oxford University have published a commendable environmental sustainability strategy.”

The University’s strategy sets targets: to achieve net zero carbon and to achieve biodiversity net gain, both by 2035.

Dr Peaker said: “If St John’s College is going to go ahead with this development, I don’t know how it is going keep in line with the University’s strategy.”

Oxford residents angry about plans to build a huge 440-home development and offices north of the city have left placards outside St John’s college, which owns the land. 19/03/2021 Picture by Ed Nix

Oxford residents angry about plans to build a huge 440-home development and offices north of the city have left placards outside St John’s college, which owns the land. 19/03/2021 Picture by Ed Nix

An online petition calling for the college to cease with its plans and plant trees has been signed by 504 people at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, more people are taking up the campaign's cause according to Dr Peaker.

The planning permission granted to Thomas White Oxford, St John’s College’s development company, gives it outline consent for building on the entire Oxford North site.

ALSO READ: New controlled parking zone plans thrown out (except in South Oxford)

Over the 64-acre site there could eventually be 936,500 sq ft of laboratories and offices, 480 new homes for approximately 1,500 people, small shops, bars and restaurants, a hotel, 23 acres of open spaces including three new parks, and new walking, cycling, bus and road networks.

It is claimed Oxford North will boost the economy by circa £150 million per year.

Oxford North aerial looking towards Oxford City Centre and Headington Global Health and Life Sciences District. Picture: TWO

Oxford North aerial looking towards Oxford City Centre and Headington Global Health and Life Sciences District. Picture: TWO

Alongside the outline plans for the project, TWO has consent to build the first phase of the development, including new laboratories and offices in the central part of the site.

This includes two connected laboratory buildings, and a huge co-working space called the Red Hall which will have capacity for 300 people and is aimed at ‘spin out’ companies from Oxford’s two universities.

TWO has compared its plans to similar ones being carried out in America, including in areas of Cambridge, Massachusetts, related to MIT.

Charles Rowton-Lee, head of commercial agency at Savills Oxford, said the success of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine meant demand for technology and science office space in the city was growing.

Cccess points to Oxford North will be created during improvement works on the A40 between Wolvercote roundabout and Duke’s Cut, which Oxfordshire County Council have already begun.

As part of Oxford North, it is hoped the A40 and A44 leaving the city will be turned into ‘tree-lined’ streets with pedestrian and cycle access.

Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for environment said: “Oxfordshire County Council is supporting this work with a significant series of upgrades to the A40 to make cycling, walking and bus travel safe and attractive to residents as part of our overall commitment to the decarbonisation of the county.”