Oxford Trust lodges plans for new lab facility at Wood Centre

The Oxford Trust has submitted plans for a 12,926 sq ft lab facility at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington, Oxford. The Aspen Building, which was designed by ADP Architecture, will provide flexible CL II laboratory and office space alongside a new STEM resources and preparation room. The building will target BREEAM Excellent and will have photovoltaic roof panels, a green wall, cycle parking and shower and locker facilities. The developer also looking to enhance its surrounding 15-acres of woodlands, ponds and grassland. The move comes in response to increased demand for grow-on laboratory space in Oxford, particularly within the Headington Science Cluster.  Steve Burgess, chief executive officer at the Oxford Trust, said: “The Aspen Building will mean we can continue expanding our support of science and tech start-ups by providing research and development lab and office space for grow-on companies to further scientific research and discovery, create local jobs, and contribute to Oxfordshire’s impressive wider innovation ecosystem.” Wood Centre for Innovation was opened in 2019 and is home to the trust’s headquarters, totalling 14,961 sq ft of CL II laboratory and office space across two floors. The centre is also home to pioneering science and technology companies, Barclays Eagle Lab Incubator and Oxford Hospitals Charity, which together employ 191 people. Other companies on site include DJS Antibodies, PicturaBio, Helio Display Materials, RedShiftBio, Jack Fertility, Samsara Therapeutics, Lumai and Spintex. Wood Centre for Innovation adjoins the trust’s Science Oxford Centre, which is the first indoor-outdoor hands-on science education centre for primary-aged children in the UK. Carter Jonas is advising on planning matters. Planning in Oxfordshire >> Image © ADP Architecture