First plans submitted for South Oxford Science Village with 3,000 new homes

The first plans for a major new development south of Oxford have been submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council, marking the next step in the long-awaited creation of the South Oxford Science Village.

The proposals, led by a multidisciplinary team from Savills, include around 3,000 new homes, alongside employment space, retail, community and educational facilities, and infrastructure such as park and ride and an extension to the Oxford Science Park.

Located just beyond Grenoble Road, the site has been earmarked for development since 2019, with the aim of creating a residential-led community that also includes affordable housing and housing with care for older residents. The proposals also set aside up to 10 hectares for employment, as an extension to the nearby Oxford Science Park.

According to the developers, the South Oxford Science Village will connect Oxford’s world-class research and academic expertise with local business, education, and social opportunities. The aim is to create a neighbourhood that is “greater than the sum of its parts,” providing employment opportunities at all levels while delivering a calm, sustainable, and green environment for future residents.

The plans include a full range of community facilities, such as primary and secondary schools, local centres, parks, playing pitches, sports and leisure areas, and between six and ten pitches for gypsies and travellers.

The site covers around 147 hectares, bordered to the north by Oxford city’s southern boundary, to the west by the A4074 Reading Road, and to the east by Sanford Brake woodland near the Cowley electricity substation. Ownership is split between Oxford City Council, Magdalen College, and Thames Water, but South Oxfordshire District Council will have the final say on the planning application.

Prepared on behalf of South Oxfordshire Science Village Limited, a company owned by Magdalen College, the submission is currently a pre-application Environmental Impact Assessment, which sets out what will need to be included in the full Environmental Statement once the outline application is submitted. Access is proposed from Grenoble Road to the north and from the A4074 in the west.

Read more: City Council cabinet approves next steps in plans to develop South Oxford Science Village

The proposals form part of a wider strategy to address Oxford’s housing shortage while maintaining careful planning and community engagement. The South Oxford Science Village has been in the planning pipeline since 2019, when agreements were made with landowners and included in draft allocations in the South Oxfordshire Local Plan, with the potential removal of the site from the Green Belt under consideration.

If approved, the development promises to be one of Oxford’s most transformative projects in decades, delivering homes, jobs, and a new community designed for living, working, and learning in the 21st century.