We’re developing campuses for the future. Where possible we keep disruptive work to times that limit the impact on local residents, staff and students. With the size of some of the works we are doing this is not always possible. Keep up-to-date with current works on our campus sites on this webpage.
Works updates
Planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of Clive Booth Student Village (CBSV) in November 2021. Initial construction work began in March 2022 with the Elm, Damson and Fir buildings opening in 2024.
Further redevelopment will take place from autumn 2025 and the internal fit-out of Cherry building started in September, to allow students to move into the new building for the 2026/27 academic year. Further work is also planned to improve landscaping on the site and to implement a geo-exchange heating system to reduce carbon emissions.
How can I find out more?
The University will ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum while work is taking place. Information on the progress with the projects, as set out below, will be kept updated on this webpage. If you have any questions, please contact the University’s Estates and Campus Services Projects Team via ecs-projects@brookes.ac.uk
- Work on the internal fit-out of for the Cherry building is progressing well and impact on our local community has been minimal since beginning in September 2025. The project is expected to be completed for the 2026/27 academic year.
- The vast majority of contractor traffic accesses CBSV via a private road which is accessed by a gate on the Marston Road. This is significantly reducing use of John Garne Way for works traffic. Staff based on site are on hand to ensure safety and minimise traffic disruption as vehicles enter and leave the site.
- The car park area adjacent to the nursery at CBSV is now being used as a contractor compound by the construction firm Morgan Sindall. This area is therefore temporarily unavailable for permit holders - we currently expect it to become available again from July 2026. Additional temporary permit holder parking for up to four vehicles is provided at CBSV opposite the Fir building (in front of the Morrells building off John Garne Way) for the duration of the works. The drop-off area for the nursery will continue to be available for those who need to use it.
- Latest information on the works taking place will be added to this webpage as the project progresses.
- The University’s senior committees have approved in principle our plans for improvements to the landscaping at CBSV. At this stage we anticipate landscaping will commence towards the end of the Cherry fit-out project, which is likely to mean works starting in early summer 2026.
- This will be complemented by soft-landscaping work with planting taking place to further improve biodiversity on the site.
- Again, we expect the impact of this work to be minimal for our local neighbours. As with the internal fit-out plan, a traffic management plan will be put in place to ensure safety and reduce impact on those accessing the site and in surrounding areas.
- Latest information on when this project will begin and progress will be added to this webpage in due course.
- Further work will take place as part of the creation of a Woodland Trail to improve access between our Headington Hill site and CBSV. The scheme will provide an improved pedestrian link and access for students, staff and members of the local community. This will provide both an improved stepped route, as well as a step free-alternative.
- The first phase of the project began in late September 2025 and is focused on a short existing pathway at the bottom of the Headington Hill site, which runs parallel to the University's gardeners’ compound. The work will remove the current steps to create a more accessible route. While this takes place the pathway is closed, with signage in place for a short diversion along Cuckoo Lane and near to the Richard Hamilton Building on the Headington Hill site.
- In order to rebuild a section of the stone wall as part of this first phase of the project, from Wednesday 22 October there will be a very minor diversion around our works in this area. Cuckoo Lane will remain passable throughout and will involve use of University land opposite the affected wall while this takes place.
- The expected conclusion of the project - previously aiming to complete in December - will now be by February 2026.
- A second phase to this project, which we expect to complete within the next 18 months, will introduce a new stepped walkway through a woodland area at the Headington Hill site, allowing pedestrians to take in the biodiversity of the campus.
- Impact on the local community will be limited as it will take place on the University’s campus and won’t require any closure of Cuckoo Lane which runs between the Headington Hill site and Clive Booth Student Village.
- This webpage will be updated with further information as the project develops. If you have any questions or queries in relation to this work, please email the Estates and Campus Services Projects Team via ecs-projects@brookes.ac.uk
- A geo-exchange heating system project was successfully implemented on our Gipsy Lane site in 2022 to reduce carbon emissions. Subject to planning approval and following initial set-up work, we are looking to implement a similar geo-exchange project for the N to X blocks and the Postgraduate Centre at CBSV.
- The project involves an innovative approach to carbon reduction and at CBSV will involve the drilling of 20 boreholes deep into the ground, with interconnecting flowlines that will be capped at the surface with manhole covers. Whilst deep, the holes are small in diameter and the pipes are driven down as the hole is bored - there is never an open shaft like an old fashioned well. Once the work is complete, the manhole covers (which will be of a standard size), will be the only visible signs at ground level, with access for maintenance and servicing.
- Safety will remain paramount at all times and work is being planned to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum over this period. A traffic management plan will be produced to ensure safety for all road and pavement users.
- From our experience in implementing the geo-exchange project on our Gipsy Lane site, where the work took place just metres from a building where exams took place, noise impact will be minimal or non-existent for our local neighbours and mitigations will be put in place to ensure our local environment is not adversely affected. This is primarily due to the specialist equipment being used and mitigation measures we are taking, such as the site hoardings which will help to reduce any impact. The drilling work is also not planned to take place close to any of the road boundaries on the site.
- The University has received grant funding from the project as part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and discussions are ongoing with partners ahead of the submission of a planning application which we expect to take place by the end of 2025. Our current expectation is that this work will begin in Spring 2026 with the borehole drilling element of the project aiming to be completed by September 2026. Latest information on when this project will begin and progress will be added to this webpage in due course.
- Work is currently being planned in autumn 2025 to replace an existing gas main located within the highway at John Garne Way.
- The main pipe is at the end of its life and only serves University buildings. As it only serves Oxford Brookes, the new gas main will be laid on University land to avoid disruption to John Garne Way during the works.
- The work will be undertaken by Southern Gas Networks (SGN), and whilst disruption will be limited, it will involve work in the highway across the end of John Garne Way and across Marston Road for a short period of time. Statutory notices for these works will be the responsibility of SGN.
- We are currently awaiting the confirmation of a Project Manager within SGN with whom queries about their works may be raised. In the meantime any queries with respect to the works can be directed to ecs-projects@brookes.ac.uk
Work is now taking place on the piazza space and western access route near to the John Henry Brookes Building at Headington Campus and entails:
- replacement of the existing steel plates at the bottom of the piazza area which leads up to the John Henry Brookes Building, near to the Headington Road. These ground plates will be replaced with appropriate new surfacing and help to reduce slip hazards.
- replacement of the bollards on the piazza and the western access route to improve the campus’ safety and security measures while making authorised access easier.
- drainage and cabling improvements while the works are taking place.
Access to the piazza will be maintained throughout the project, which we expect to be completed by Friday 6 February, with only sections of the space being unavailable as part of a phased approach to the work.
At certain times, there may be noise while paving materials are moved across the piazza but the University will put measures in place to ensure that any potential impact is kept to a minimum.
This webpage will be updated with further information as the project develops. If you have any questions or queries in relation to this work, please email the Estates and Campus Services Projects Team via ecs-projects@brookes.ac.uk
Oxford Brookes received planning permission in June 2022 for two new buildings on the Headington Hill site. The new Teaching and Workshop buildings are cutting-edge, sustainable spaces allowing our students, staff and researchers to flourish, boosting local collaboration and meeting the needs of business.
The Teaching building opened in late January 2025 ahead of the start of Semester 2 of the 2024/25 academic year.
The new Workshop building on the site was formally handed over to the University in February 2025, fully opening for the 2025/26 academic year.
Further information on the development, include news of the facilities winning national and regional award recognition can be found on the project's dedicated webpage.
A previously unused area on the ground floor of the Lloyd building (LL.G.01) at Headington Campus has been converted into a temporary Santander banking space.
This temporary change of use for part of the building will be in place until the end of 2025 while the bank’s Oxford city centre branch is refurbished.
Santander does not dispense cash or have a cash machine in this temporary space, but the bank has staff available to provide customers with advice and support with financial services. The temporary Santander space is now open and operating during the following hours:
- 9.30am to 3.00pm on Monday to Fridays
- Closed on weekends.