Plans to transform Oxfam HQ into lab space

Plans have been submitted to turn Oxfam's headquarters into an office and lab space.

GreyArc Investments Limited have applied to Oxford City Council for planning permission to turn the building on John Smith Drive, Oxford Business Park, Cowley into a life science or office facility and "create a significant number of job opportunities".

The charity said it had signed the lease for a new workplace within the ground floor of a smaller building on the same site, to help reduce costs.

Councillor Saj Malik, who represents Temple Cowley on the city council, has raised concerns about the knock-on effect of creating new science and tech jobs on the city's housing shortage.

Oxfam's HQ moved to Oxford Business Park from Summertown in July 2005, and the building was sold to Sutton Council in 2016.

It was put on the market for £60m in 2023 and sold to a private investor for £37.1m in April 2024.

Oxfam's lease on the building ran out in March.

Plans for the move include adding an extra floor to the building, as well as a gym and café area on the ground floor and a row of columns outside the building.

This comes after the charity announced it was trying to save £10.2m in wages, and that 265 jobs were at risk of redundancy.

According to the planning statement the proposal will "create a significant number of new job opportunities" and the plans would "positively contribute to Oxford's role as a leading hub for research and development and life sciences within the UK".

It adds the building could be used by multiple tenants and connectivity to the business park would be improved by upcoming plans for the Cowley Branch Line.

But Mr Malik said many Cowley residents felt "it's too much, too quickly and gentrification is being imposed on communities without thought of the impact".

"While I fully encourage investment into Cowley, this kind of development often doesn't benefit the people who live here in terms of job opportunities," he said.

"Already we have a shortage of housing in Oxford meaning teachers and nurses have to live elsewhere causing recruitment and retention difficulties."

A spokesperson for Oxfam said they hope to move in July.

"The new office space is smaller and will support us to reduce our costs," they added.

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