Green light for The Oxford Trust’s Aspen Building to boost start-up laboratory space in Headington

Plans for The Oxford Trust’s Aspen Building, to be built at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington, have been resolved to be approved by Oxford City Council’s planning committee to provide science and tech companies with additional start-up and grow-on laboratory and office space.

The Aspen Building, which has been named after the local charity’s late founder Sir Martin Wood’s favourite tree, has been designed in response to the increased demand for mid-sized grow-on laboratory space in Oxford, particularly within the globally significant Headington Science Cluster. The circa 17,000 sq ft (1,600 sq m) building will deliver a mix of flexible CL II level laboratory and office space spread over two floors, to service growing life science and deeptech companies.

In addition, the building will include a new STEM resources and preparation room, which will enable the Trust to support the increase in demand for its Science Oxford outreach delivery to schools across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire as well as engage local communities with STEM.

Overall, the project will strengthen the Trust’s mission to encourage the pursuit of science by supporting both innovation and STEM education.

The building will target BREEAM Excellent and include photovoltaic roof panels, a green wall, cycle parking, shower and locker facilities and a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain to enhance its surrounding 15 acres of woodlands, ponds, and grassland. Harvesting and storing rainwater will provide grey water for toilets and, separately, additional flow to the ponds which will minimise the need for sewer discharge.

Opened in 2019, the Wood Centre for Centre for Innovation, which is The Oxford Trust’s HQ, offers 19,500 sq ft (1,810 sq m) which includes 14,961 sq ft (1,390 sq ft) of CL II laboratory and workspace across two floors.

It is home to pioneering science and tech companies which include Bioarchitech, DJS Antibodies, PicturaBio, Helio Display Materials, RedShiftBio, Jack Fertility, Samsara Therapeutics, Lumai and Spintex as well as Barclays Eagle Labs incubator and Oxford Hospital Charity, which collectively employ 191 people.

The Trust’s Science Oxford Centre adjoins the Wood Centre for Innovation and is the UK’s first indoor-outdoor hands-on science education centre for primary-aged children. Since opening the Centre five years ago, Science Oxford has run more than 600 term-time school visits and 240 Family Days on Saturdays.

Under the Trust’s charitable business model, income generated from leasing the new laboratory and office space in the Aspen Building will be reinvested into its innovation and STEM education and engagement programmes, furthering its mission to “encourage the pursuit of science.”

Steve Burgess, chief executive officer, The Oxford Trust said: “We are thrilled that our planning application has been given the green light. The Aspen Building will create exceptional spaces for exceptional science.

“The new facility at the Wood Centre for Innovation represents a significant investment for the Trust and underlines our continued commitment to the Headington Science Cluster. It will mean we will be able to support further scientific research, create local jobs, and contribute to Oxfordshire’s impressive innovation ecosystem. It will also allow us to expand the impact of our Science Oxford education programme to inspire even more young people about STEM.”

The project team for the Aspen Building includes ADP Architects, Carter Jonas, BSG Ecology, Landshape, Glanville, Gleeds, Sylva Trees and CPW.

Find out more about the Aspen Building here.