A major retrofit scheme at 1–12 Magdalen Street in Oxford has been designed by Perkins&Will for a partnership between The Crown Estate, Pioneer Group and Oxford Science Enterprises.
The project is currently out to tender, with Morgan Sindall understood to be among the contractors competing to deliver the scheme, which will provide around 100,000 sq ft of lab-enabled incubator and accelerator space.
The plans will retain and repurpose the existing late-19th-century building, transforming upper floors into flexible laboratory and workspace environments, alongside conference facilities and a showcase lab designed to open up science to a broader audience.
Backers say the development will become the UK’s first dedicated hub focused on human and planetary health businesses, building on Oxford’s global reputation as a leading life sciences cluster.
A reuse-led strategy sits at the heart of the scheme, with the entire structural frame and building envelope preserved to minimise carbon emissions and support sustainability goals.
The Crown Estate is funding the project as part of a wider £1.5bn investment programme into science, innovation and technology over the next 15 years.
Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2027 following detailed design and contractor procurement, with completion targeted for 2029.