Oxfordshire innovation park names contractor who'll bring £14m scheme to life

The developer which runs tech and innovation campus Milton Park near Oxford has appointed Curo Construction as the contractor to work on a £14 million project.

The Signal Yard scheme will be a vibrant community and social hub, with 18 units offering food, drinks and retail.

The name Signal Yard is inspired by Milton Park’s history as a former RAF depot and MOD site, as well as its nearness to the Great Western mainline railway line.

Working with Object Space Place architects, Curo will redevelop the former Park Centre buildings and significantly improving their energy performance.

Timber shopfronts and a timber-frame extension will be put in, while an existing light-blocking canopy structure will be taken out.

The newly freed-up space will be transformed by ASA Landscape Architects who have designed a variety of outdoor spaces featuring rain, cascading and gravel gardens, a tree nursery and a boardwalk to the nearby lagoon.

Work so far include soft demolition, hoarding construction and site prep.

Conor Maguire, Development Manager at MEPC Milton Park, said: “We are very excited to bring this transformative project forward to better serve the needs of our community at Milton Park.

“Curo Construction’s experience, collaborative approach and commitment to quality makes them an ideal partner to bring the project team’s vision to life.”

He added: “We are currently curating an exciting mix of potential occupiers for Signal Yard, so if you think you might be a good fit, please reach out to our team.”

Curo Construction’s Project Director Carlo Carenza added: “We’re excited to oversee the transformation of the site into a place people will want to relax, socialise and spend time in.

“We also focus on respecting those working nearby and constructing in sustainable ways, ensuring we reduce carbon emissions through innovative design and construction methods.”

Brendan Mullard, Director at Object Space Place architects, said: “Signal Yard is an exciting project that brings life back to the four existing buildings and landscape that was Park Centre.

“From the start we knew we needed to create a ‘place’ and not a ‘design’.

“The spirit of Signal Yard will come from the occupiers, visitors and the way the buildings connect to the landscape and the architecture just needs to find a way to allow all of that to happen.”

He added: “The opportunity to creatively reuse and adapt the existing buildings to make new hospitality space has been perfect.

“The project includes circular economy strategies for reuse and new parts are built primarily in timber to reduce embodied carbon.”

Maria Lara Mijancos, Senior Landscape Architect at ASA Landscape Architects, said: “Signal Yard is set to become a vibrant, green destination within Milton Park, designed to promote social interaction and wellbeing.

“The scheme integrates a sequence of distinctive spaces, including cascading gardens, a tree nursery, rain gardens and the boardwalk – each space has been designed to enhance biodiversity as well as spatial connectivity, creating an inviting retreat where the community can connect, relax and enjoy.”