Science, Library & Partnerships Building approved by Oxford City Council

We are delighted to announce that our proposal for a new Science, Library & Partnerships Building has been approved by Oxford City Council – taking us closer to our vision of creating a sector-leading science building in the centre of Oxford.

Designed by Walters & Cohen Architects, as part of a wider design team, the new building will enable us to support an ambitious and forward-looking science curriculum, expanding to the emerging and rapidly advancing areas of robotics, AI and Big Data. It will also enable us to strengthen our partnerships programme, giving many more local children the opportunity to take part in top-flight STEM learning here at MCS, and we look forward to inviting partner schools to benefit from these opportunities.

The proposed building will embody the latest in sustainable construction techniques, and introduce enhanced landscaping and conservation zones. This will ensure a development which has a lasting, positive environmental impact.

With the application now approved, we will begin the detailed planning required to progress the development – with an ambition to have the new facilities in place at the start of the next decade. This will include further work to develop our funding model – looking in detail at key financial elements including philanthropy from our supporters, which will be axiomatic in enabling us to realise our ambitions.

We fully support the need for a carefully developed Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) which is sensitive to local traffic and impact on our neighbours. We have already considered preliminary aspects of the CTMP and will finalise the detail of this when we reach the point of tendering for a contractor.

We shall not be in a position to break ground on this project for some time yet. Throughout the next development phase, we will focus on ensuring we will be able to uphold the high standards of teaching, learning and positive pupil experience that our families expect, and on minimising any disruption to our neighbours.

Helen Pike, Master, said:

“Our new Science, Library & Partnerships Building will enable us to build on our centuries-old academic reputation by enhancing facilities for our own pupils and amplifying our support for education across the wider Oxford community and beyond. It will stand as the centrepiece of our commitment to science partnership teaching, and create an environment in which future Nobel Prize winners and innovators can begin their careers. Securing planning consent would not have been possible without the support of our design team, whose expertise and vision has helped us create a building of which we can all be proud.”

Public consultation

Bidwells and MCS conducted consultation exercises in March and June 2024, inviting a wide range of stakeholders, including neighbours, local politicians, internal stakeholders and the general public, to give their views. The feedback received was used to inform our final planning application. You are welcome to view the consultation boards from round 1 and round 2, kindly noting these designs are indicative of spring 2025.