ROQ

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the site and how big is it?
The Radcliffe Observatory Quarter is a 10-acre site in central Oxford, bound by the Woodstock Road, Somerville College, Walton Street, Observatory Street and Green Templeton College.
What is the site to be used for?

The site was purchased to enable the University of Oxford to continue to provide and develop teaching and research of the highest quality.

The site already includes New Radcliffe House and will also include a new Mathematical Institute Building and the Blavatnik School of Government 

What is the timescale for this?

The complete refurbishment of the Radcliffe Infirmary building, including the courtyard and the fountain, is due to be completed by the autumn of 2012. The building will be known as Radcliffe Humanities, and house the University's Humanities Division.

Construction of the Mathematical Institute is due to be completed in September 2013.

The Blavatnik School of Government will be completed by the summer of 2015.

Some plots have not yet been allocated.

What is the Masterplan and what is its purpose?

The Masterplan was drafted in 2005 and provides the framework for the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter project. It does not dictate the detailed planning of every component of the site, but sets out a broad vision and the policies that any detailed design for any element of the plan should adhere to.

 

What are the key elements of the Masterplan?

·    All buildings except for the listed buildings which form part of the Old Radcliffe Infirmary group will be demolished.

·    There will be a mix of 3-5 storey buildings, with the higher buildings in the centre of the site.

·    There will be no vehicles on the surface of the site except for emergency and refuse vehicles and occasional deliveries. There will be an underground car park for no more than 100 cars.

·    There will be two through-routes for pedestrians, at the north of the site and along the southern boundary.

How can I have my say on the planning applications?

Consultation has played a key role in the development to date and will continue to do so. The University has worked closely with the City Council and statutory consultees, such as English Heritage. A draft Masterplan was subject to full public consultation between 5 March and 20 April 2007.

More than 1,000 people attended various events as part of this six-week consultation process, which included public meetings and exhibitions. Further changes were made to the Masterplan as a result of this consultation process and the revised version of the plan was reviewed by the City Council in September 2008 and submitted to the University’s Council for endorsement in December 2008.

A public exhibition about the first phase of the Masterplan was held in January 2009, looking at the rejuvenation of the Radcliffe Infirmary building, the Outpatients’ building and St Luke’s Chapel; additions to Somerville College, and a new pedestrian street linking Woodstock Road and Walton Street. The exhibition sought the local community’s views prior to the University seeking and securing planning permission from Oxford City Council.

A public exhibition about the Blavatnik School of Government is taking place between 19 July and 1 August 2012 and will be open from 9am to 5pm. It is being held in the former Radcliffe Infirmary Outpatients Building on the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road.

Further public exhibitions will be held in the future about other phases of the site’s development. These events will be advertised on this website and in the local media.The University will also be keeping local residents, businesses and other stakeholders informed about developments via newsletters. You can also contact us at community@admin.ox.ac.uk

Will the listed buildings be retained and what will happen to them?

All of the listed buildings on the site will be retained. These include the 1770 Radcliffe Infirmary building, the 1913 Outpatients’ building, and the 1865 St Luke’s Chapel. These buildings will be restored so that they, once again, form part of the city’s iconic architecture.

The Masterplan for the site as a whole is designed to open up a cluttered site and set buildings like the Grade I listed Radcliffe Observatory in a new context. Views of the Observatory will be opened up from notable locations, including Oxford University Press, Cardigan Street and Somerville College. 

How is this development being funded?

Each project will be funded separately from a number of sources including donations, University capital funding, grants and other sources.

What should I do if I want to make a donation to this project?

Information about how to make a donation to the University’s Radcliffe Observatory Quarter project can be found in the Oxford Thinking: The Campaign for the University of Oxford ways to give website.

The University also offers an online giving facility specifically for the project. If you have any further questions about giving to the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter project, please contact our Development Office

Will the new development result in a significant increase in traffic?

The site is being developed to be used by cyclists and pedestrians. Cyclists will benefit from extensive bike parking facilities, with spaces for approximately 400 staff and 2,600 students when the site is fully developed.

There will be limited vehicular access for emergency vehicles and delivery and service vehicles. All vehicle access will be from Woodstock Road, including construction traffic. Cars and small service vehicles, such as those required for the delivery of library material, will be taken immediately below ground to a parking and service area.

There will be an underground car park for no more than 65 cars, although the site overall will not have more than 100 spaces in total, excluding any spaces required by the Primary Care Trust for the new Health Centre.

I wish to make a complaint about the site. Who do I contact?

You can contact the University at community@admin.ox.ac.uk