Timber cycle pavilion at Oxford North gets go-ahead from city council
Cyclists are poised to make use of a landmark timber cycle pavilion in the heart of Oxford North - the new £700 million global innovation district being built on 64 acres of land within Oxford city’s northern boundary.
Plans have been greenlighted by Oxford City Council for the scheme, which was designed by Fletcher Priest Architects on behalf of Oxford North Ventures, the joint venture company of Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John's College, Cadillac Fairview and Stanhope.
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The two-story building has been inspired by wheel spokes and will sit the new market square alongside the Red Hall and central park.
It will provide 191 first-floor secure long-stay cycle spaces dedicated to people working in the Red Hall and Building 1 & 2 under phase 1a of the project, where practical completion is earmarked for the second quarter of 2025.
These spaces will be in addition to the dedicated 444 spaces with showering facilities which will be provided in each of phase 2's recently approved Plot A, B and C laboratory buildings.
"This decision is great news for cyclists! Our project is focused on transforming local travel habits and making cycling more convenient and sustainable for those working and visiting in the future," said David Camp, chief executive officer of Stanhope.
"We have positioned the pavilion in a key location at the masterplan’s heart to celebrate the bicycle as a mode of sustainable transport.
"The circular timber structure will act as a focal point, adjacent to the recently consented, enhanced and expanded Red Hall, the central landscape and market square. The pavilion will provide secure long and short-stay spaces and repair facilities serving our three first-phase buildings that are currently under construction."
The pavilion's radial and timber structure will significantly reduce its embodied carbon and have low energy usage in operation.
Philip Pryke, senior associate at Fletcher Priest Architects added: "Our two-storey approach reduces the building’s footprint and the main enclosed body of the pavilion being raised off the ground will deliver views across the market square.
"It is about ensuring the building is visible and accessible from all sides meaning that, along with the A40 and A44 cycle improvements, the decision to cycle to and from Oxford North will be as easy as possible."
The Oxford North project is said to "connect academia and commerce, invention and investment" and provide a sustainable place to "work, live, learn and socialise".
It will deliver one million sq ft of new labs and workspaces including a new innovation centre, and 480 new homes.
Around 4,500 people will work there alongside 1,500 residents and who, along with the local community and visitors, will enjoy amenities including a hotel, nursery, shops, bars and cafes, three public parks, and significant investment in travelling around sustainably.
Oxford North is also poised to contribute around £150 million per year in gross value added (GVA) to the economy.
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