Greyarc Investments unveils plans for the full refurbishment and extension of Building 2700, the former Oxfam headquarters on John Smith Drive, Oxford Business Park, to create OxBio Hub, a prominent, self-contained innovation campus delivering high-quality, future-ready lab and office space for the science and technology sector.
Greyarc Investments purchased the building in 2024 and has since submitted a detailed planning application to Oxford City Council for the complete refurbishment and extension of the building. The project is expected to create a significant number of job opportunities, contributing to Oxford’s thriving innovation ecosystem and supporting long-term economic growth.
The building will be CL2 lab-ready and redesigned for optimal workflow and flexibility, allowing occupiers to customise spaces to suit their specific needs, ranging from 4,000 sq.ft to 88,324 sq.ft. Sustainability is central to the scheme, with the full building refurbishment targeting BREEAM Very Good and EPC B ratings. The project includes new state of the art, enhanced M&E infrastructure, photovoltaic solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, energy-efficient lighting and ventilation and landscaped green areas that promote biodiversity, supporting lower operational costs and helping occupiers meet their ESG goals.
Tenants will benefit from high-quality amenities including a gym, café, meeting rooms, auditorium, fully serviced internal and external breakout areas, secure access, a designated delivery area, cycle storage, ample parking and reimagined communal areas, creating an inspiring and collaborative environment that supports wellbeing and productivity.
With excellent connectivity from the Oxford Ring Road and direct links to the city’s wider science and technology ecosystem, OxBio Hub is strategically located in close proximity to the city’s world-leading university colleges, research hospitals and a rich talent pool. It has been designed as a catalyst for convergence, with the intention of bringing together diverse scientific disciplines and emerging technologies to spark interdisciplinary innovation and breakthrough discoveries. It will provide essential grow-on space for university spin-outs and serve as a natural relocation option for companies looking to remain within Central Oxford. With its scalable, accessible offering, OxBio Hub is ideally placed for businesses seeking to be at the heart of Oxford’s innovation community.
Angus Bates, Director of GreyArc Investments and owner of OxBio Hub, said: “We are excited to commence the full refurbishment project, capturing already embodied building carbon in a truly sustainable scheme that will bring OxBio Hub to life, offering companies space from 4,000 sq.ft to 88,000 sq.ft. We recognise the increasing convergence between sciences and technologies, with machine learning and AI as central catalysts. Our location on Oxford Ring Road, close to universities and incubators like the BioEscalator, enables us to provide world-class space tailored to diverse sciences and deep tech. We also understand the importance of community and will be investing heavily to support the companies that choose us, ensuring they are part of a thriving, connected environment. Our vision is to empower innovators across disciplines to connect, collaborate and deliver breakthroughs that will shape the future.”
For further information and viewing opportunities, please contact the appointed agents, Benedicts: Christian Vecchione on 07950 032904 or [email protected]; or Tom Vecchione on 07807 791328 or [email protected].
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For photographs and more information, please contact: Marie Parkinson, OJI Marketing Ltd on: 07463994834 or [email protected]
