£125m plan to convert Oxford store into labs approved | Construction Enquirer News

The major retrofit scheme at 1–12 Magdalen Street has been designed by architect 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 one of the firms pursuing the job to create around 100,000 sq ft of lab-enabled incubator and accelerator space. The revamp preserves the existing late-19th-century structure, converting the upper floors into flexible lab and workspace areas alongside conference areas and a showcase lab to open science to wider audiences. Backers are pitching the scheme as the UK’s first dedicated hub focused on human and planetary health businesses, tapping into Oxford’s position as one of the world’s leading life sciences clusters. The reuse-led approach is central to the scheme, with the full structural frame and building envelope retained to reduce carbon emissions. The Crown Estate is funding the project as part of a wider £1.5bn push into science, innovation and technology over the next 15 years. Work is expected to start on site in the first half of 2027 following detailed design and contractor procurement, with completion targeted for 2029.