Last Thursday, members of UKPF visited the OxBio Hub, a science and innovation development based in Oxfordshire which recently began construction. Alfie Morse exclusively spoke to Angus Bates- owner of Oxbio Hub.
Q: What is the value of “Bio” in the name “OxBio Hub?”
A: “It’s the association with the BioScience market…We would be cautious about using that term because it does label, but actually in this market and the ecosystem that’s Oxford, or any high-tech city, it’s acceptable to have that moniker because it identifies the building as being of that quality- lab-capable”
Q: Work is now underway, what can be expected for the next few months?
A: “The next couple of months is putting the steel frame on, there will be a big change in the skyline with the next floor up, once that’s on and the roof is on- so we’re weathered in, we can concentrate on every floor at once…through to the end of the year…and then fitting out with tenants hopefully in Q1 2027 onwards.”
Q: What kind of strategy are you using to attract potential companies for this project?
A: “Trade secrets…but we’re very close to a lot of the commercial and other university-based organisations here, so that really, like our other projects with OTP (Oxford Technology Park) …we remain close to those organisations.”
Q: Innovation and collaboration are two key values, how important are they going forward?
A: “Well the innovation is the lifeblood- the IP, the talent around there all go together, they all want to be in the city, and the city of course attracts that fresh talent and IP through the regeneration, they come through university, so that’s really important to us, and in turn the organisation coming here.
“Collaboration…same thing, you’ve got that community feeling of people around you, that people rely on, there is cross-fertilisation without doubt, with the different disciplines, and just being among the science community.”
Q: How does this development differ from Oxford Technology Park?
A: “This is a refurbishment, Oxford Technology Park was greenfield, which is what I do, I built over 25 years a couple million sq ft of different types of space- typically it’s like the Technology Park.
“The Technology Park is second and third generation- big volume space, designed to not compete with the institutions in town, where people are compelled through economic or just sheer size to move out of town, and providing the amenity around that.
“This is different to that in as much as it is smaller individual demises, still with the plant deck on the roof and all those amenities, its an urban version I suppose, of the same thing, and I would describe it as not second or third generation, but first or second generation at most.”
Q: How integral is the Cowley Branch Line going to be for this project?
A: “I don’t think we are going to see the success of the regeneration of this area- the business park and this side of Oxford- reach anywhere near it’s potential until that is open.
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s key or fundamental to this, but to the true success it’s going to be quite key later on, in the long term.
“We saw it with the (Oxford) Parkway station in Kidlington, where nobody really realised how important it would become, and with the advent of energy costs, transport and cars, congestion getting worse, the Parkway has been massively successful, and this is going to be just the same, so bring it on as quickly as you can.
“This area won’t flourish as much until the (Cowley) Branch Line is up and running.”
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