Developers have unveiled plans for a major £100m investment in Botley Road, which they hope will be open in two years time.

Mission Street, the specialist developer in charge of the multi-million pound investment, has brought forward proposals to regenerate the DFS and Carpetright retail units in Botley Road by replacing them with a state of the art research and development science space.

The new development will be used for a wide variety of research and development work, from life sciences to tech and manufacturing.

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Oxford Mail: The proposed building from Botley RoadThe proposed building from Botley Road

Within the proposals, significant areas of the site will be planted and landscaped with avenues of trees aiming to transform the look of the current brownfield site.

Developers have also said the site be ‘opened up’ and will include a new cafe for public use and improved walking routes and cycle paths.

The team behind the plans chose the units in Botley Road because of their proximity to the city centre and railway station, as well as the opportunity to redevelop the retail units both for Oxford’s economy and the local community.

Oxford Mail: How the site currently looks How the site currently looks

Colin Brown, development director at Mission Street, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to create something better and more useful for Oxford

“Our plans are to replace tired retail units of yesteryear with top-grade new employment space that’s presented with distinctive and impressive architecture. 

“This is about re-thinking a really sustainable site for a high-quality employment use and providing the innovation space the city needs in a very accessible location. 

“We’re excited to put our ideas on show and we’re asking anyone who’s interested to come along to our drop-in events, go on our website, and provide their feedback to this consultation.”

Oxford Mail: The inside of the research and development centreThe inside of the research and development centre

Mission Street is working with architecture firm NBBJ which will design the facility, with an emphasis on the site being sustainable, enhancing the surrounding biodiversity and encouraging active transport.

As part of these sustainability goals, the new building will be designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ sustainability rating as a minimum through the use of solar panels, air source heat pumps and EV charge points.

Oxford Mail: Overview of proposed sustainability initiativesOverview of proposed sustainability initiatives

Developers are now seeking views on the project from the local community and will host public exhibitions at the West Oxford Community Centre with the events taking place on:

  • Thursday July 21 between 2:00pm – 6:30pm
  • Saturday July 23 between 9:30am – 1:30pm

Informed by this public consultation, Mission Street is anticipating submitting a planning application later this summer with a view to having the new building ready for use in 2024, subject to planning permission.

Oxford Mail: The proposed publicly accessible cafeThe proposed publicly accessible cafe

To find out more about the proposals and submit feedback, visit investinginbotleyroad.co.uk

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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