18 May 2015, The Oxford Science Park, a joint venture between Magdalen College, Oxford, and M&G Real Estate, has appointed Carter Jonas as its retained property consultancy to provide strategic, development, and leasing consultancy advice to this established and recognised business location.

The Oxford Science Park, which is located approximately four miles south east of Oxford City centre, has more than 60 companies occupying over 530,000 sq ft of laboratory and office accommodation, supported by a range of on-site facilities including a conference centre, nursery, shop, restaurant, business support services and extensive car parking.  The Oxford Science Park has established businesses such as Becton Dickinson and Company, Nominet, and Sharp Laboratories of Europe, and has attracted new tenants such as TripAdvisor.  The Park has seven further development plots capable of delivering up to 250,000 sq ft of accommodation.

Rory Maw, bursar, Magdalen College said:  “Following a competitive process The Oxford Science Park joint venture were pleased to appoint Carter Jonas to the Agency Instruction for the next phase of development at the Science Park.  They bring an energy and vision aligned with our longer term aspirations, as we seek to reinforce our position as the premier business and science location in Oxford.

Scott Harkness, head of commercial, Carter Jonas said:  “We are thrilled to have been appointed to advise The Oxford Science Park at such an exciting time in its development.  The brief was for a property consultancy who could work to promote the Park’s design and build opportunities, ultimately aiming to attract further new occupiers to the Park to ensure that this thriving business park is firmly on the map.

Recent market research by Carter Jonas identified that office take-up in the county totalled 425,000 sq ft in 2014, a 128% increase from 2013, with 744,000 sq ft of office space available to rent, of which only circa 5,000 sq ft is Grade A office space.

Scott added:  “I am confident that the current lack of choice and opportunity, for business, of new commercial space within the immediate Oxford area, as recently confirmed by our research, means that The Oxford Science Park is well positioned to address the shortage of supply.  It has a well-established and enviable reputation as a successful business location and has the land to accommodate companies needing to relocate or expand.”

“We are extremely well placed to meet Magdalen College and M&G Real Estate’s brief as across the UK, we work on 45 difference science and business parks, and have not only the national but local knowledge and skills to ensure that they achieve their goals.”