In early 2022, Oxford Brookes will set out proposals to enhance STEM and creative industries activity on its Headington Hill site.
Our vision is to create a facility that not only allows our students and researchers to flourish, but brings the Oxford Brookes community together, boosts local collaboration and helps meet the needs of industry.
The University received planning permission for a new teaching building on the Headington Hill site in 2018. There was a necessary delay to the project as historical asbestos was discovered in the ground where the new teaching building was to be situated.
Now that work has taken place to safely remove the asbestos from the ground, we are proposing that a basement be provided under the building to fill this newly created space. Alongside other minor changes to the external appearance of the building, we will shortly submit an application to amend the original planning permission.
Other than the new basement floor, the building remains the same size as previously proposed and its height and shape is completely unaltered. We expect details of this to appear on the Oxford City Council planning webpages in the coming weeks.
The new teaching building will help to facilitate the relocation of Faculty of Technology, Design & Environment activity which currently takes place on the Wheatley Campus by September 2024 at the earliest.
To ensure we have appropriate spaces for activity currently based at Wheatley, and to facilitate enhanced teaching, research and partnership opportunities, the University is also proposing to introduce a workshop building on the Headington Hill site, next to the existing Richard Hamilton Building.
We currently expect to submit a planning application for this separate, smaller workshop building in Spring 2022. Ahead of that, we will provide further information on our developing proposals. The University will engage with staff, students and local stakeholders on these developing plans and further information will be provided in early 2022.