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 with an expected hand-over by August 2026, to allow students to move into the new building for the 2026/27 academic year. Additional work is planned to improve landscaping, and further development of a fifth new building on the site is also currently under consideration.
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 handed over to the University by August 2026 and therefore 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.
- Landscaping work will take place in phases as part of continued development of the site.
Once approved the initial phase is expected to begin with the arrival area and improve access where CBSV connects with the Headington Hill site’s Woodland Trail.
- The work will be complemented by soft-landscaping work with planting taking place to further improve biodiversity on the site.
- Latest information on when this project will begin and progress will be added to this webpage in due course.
- Further work is taking place as part of the creation of a Woodland Trail to improve access between our Headington Hill site and CBSV. The scheme is providing 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, 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 removed the current steps to create a more accessible route.
- The majority of this work completed in March 2026 - some additional work to improve lighting and landscaping will continue beyond this point.
- A second phase to this project is expected to 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. Following recent planning approval, a similar geo-exchange project is being implemented for the N to X blocks and the Postgraduate Centre at CBSV.
The project adopts an innovative approach to carbon reduction and will involve the drilling of 24 boreholes deep into the ground, with interconnecting flowlines that will be capped at the surface with manhole covers. The boreholes will reach depths of 250 metres and will be in two locations between the Damson and Cherry buildings.
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 implemented to ensure safety for all road and pavement users. As has been the case for the Cherry building fit-out, the vast majority of contractor traffic accesses CBSV via a private road which is accessed by a gate on the Marston Road. This will significantly reduce use of John Garne Way for work traffic.
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 levels are expected to be relatively minimal and will not impact local neighbours. 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 proactive 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. The approved planning application with further information and site drawings for the project can be found on the Oxford City Council website.
Initial enabling works began in early June 2026 with the borehole drilling element of the project expected beginning from late June 2026. The drilling work is currently expected to be completed by December 2026 with the remainder of the project aiming for completion by early 2028. Drilling work is expected to take place between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday. Additional drilling work may occasionally be required on Saturdays during this period.
The main contractor for the project is Beard Construction. In addition to the drilling, there will be work such as trench digging taking place to support the implementation of the geo-exchange project which may involve additional disruption. Clear signage will be in place on the site to make clear where work is taking place and any changes to access.
Latest information will be added to this webpage as the project progresses. If you have any questions, please contact the University’s Estates and Campus Services Projects Team via ecs-projects@brookes.ac.uk
Work will take place over the coming months to replace the heating system in the Clerici Building at Headington Campus. The project is expected to continue through to later September 2026, will replace all of the radiators and pipework in the building.
During this time, areas of the Clerici Building and Sir Kenneth Wheare Hall will be inaccessible and signage will be in place to advise on alternative routes and how to access impacted services.
To help reduce disruption the project will take place in phases, with each phase focused on one of the building’s three floors. During each phase the relevant floor, or section of the Ground Floor, will be closed while works are undertaken. The updated timeframes for the work are:
- Tuesday 5 May to Sunday 7 June 2026:
- Second Floor of Clerici closed while work takes place.
- Monday 8 June to Sunday 5 July 2026:
- Half of the Ground Floor of Clerici which includes Oxford Brookes Business School spaces closed.
- Monday 6 July to Friday 7 August 2026:
- Half of the Ground Floor of Clerici which includes the Sir Kenneth Wheare Hall closed.
- Monday 27 July to Friday 25 September 2026:
- First Floor of Clerici closed. Teaching rooms will be ready for the start of semester.
The Estates and Campus Services (ECS) Projects Team will continue to work closely with building users to ensure teaching, research and business activities are managed appropriately during the closures. This will help to ensure alternative measures and mitigations are in place throughout the project, including for graduations, open days and other key University activities.
If there are any significant changes to the project, including timeframes for when work is taking place, this webpage will be updated. Thank you for your patience and understanding while this important work takes place to improve reliability, efficiency and overall comfort within the building. If you have any specific questions or queries, please email the ECS Projects Team via ecs-projects@brookes.ac.uk
Work is due to take place at Headington Campus to replace glass roof panels on the Abercrombie building and above the library area of the John Henry Brookes Building (JHBB). The complexity of the work - involving the use of crane lifts and the erection of internal scaffolding within JHBB - will require some short-term changes to access arrangements.
We expect preparations for this work to begin in the week commencing Monday 27 July, with the replacements of the panels expected to take place over the weekend of 1 and 2 August to help reduce disruption.
There will be clear signposting put in place while the work takes place. More detailed updates are being provided to impacted staff to ensure awareness amongst building users and help to allow for alternative arrangements to be made, as required.
The current expected timeline of activity is as follows:
- From Monday 27 July - erection of scaffolding within the JHBB from the first floor area outside the library entrance. The construction of the scaffolding is expected to take two to three days and a signposted alternative route, including an alternative entrance to the library, will be in place while it is being built. Once the scaffolding is in place, building users will be able to return to previous access arrangements.
- Friday 31 July - initial work will be undertaken at roof level of the Abercrombie building, but some access restrictions will be in place for the atrium of the building to ensure safety. The disabled parking spaces in the courtyard between Buckley and Abercrombie will be temporarily out of use from this point and during the course of the weekend.
- Saturday 1 August - a crane will be erected in the courtyard behind the Colonnade building. The Colonnade building, including the Brookes Co-Op and dental practice, will continue to be accessible during this time. The replacement of the glazed panels for Abercrombie will be craned into place as work is completed in this area. During this period, the Abercrombie building will be temporarily closed to avoid health and safety risks to any building users. The building closure is anticipated to last between 8.00am and 1.00pm.
- Sunday 2 August - installation of glass panels above the library in JHBB. This work will necessitate an alternative route on the fourth floor of the library for a short period of time. Staff will be on hand during this time to signpost alternative access routes.
- From Monday 3 August - removal of remaining equipment, including the JHHB scaffolding, used as part of the works. This may take two to three days to complete and signage will continue to be updated if this causes any further changes to access routes.
This work will be weather dependent and it is therefore possible that the installation work will be postponed until the Bank Holiday weekend of 29, 30 and 31 August. This webpage will be updated if changes to the project are required.
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