College vision
In 2019, Magdalen College commissioned a Masterplan to identify opportunities that would serve the College’s long-term needs, improve its sustainability and enhance interaction with the wider community. The Masterplan identified the Waynflete site as an area for redevelopment that could positively respond to the College’s long-term vision. Magdalen College is excited at the prospect of this development. It has the opportunity to unlock great potential, support the strategic objectives of the College and enhance this important gateway site for Oxford.
The scheme aims to deliver a high quality, truly sustainable student accommodation development, designed with student and community wellbeing at its heart.
Heritage benefits
The project offers an opportunity to enhance the setting of St Clement’s, Magdalen Bridge and The Plain, by providing a building which fits more appropriately within this important heritage context, as well as enhancing the relationship with the townscape, the River Cherwell, Magdalen Bridge and the surrounding natural landscape.
Best in class sustainability
Sustainability is at the heart of the scheme. The project offers the opportunity to develop a best in class, low energy building which, as well as being Passivhaus standard, draws on other guidance and accreditation including Well, LETI and BREEAM, to create an exemplar sustainable development.
Improved accessibility
The project will enable full accessibility to all areas of the site, overcoming several significant challenges within the existing Waynflete building.
Landscape and ecology opportunities
Redevelopment of the site offers an opportunity to create a high-quality landscape, significantly improving site wide ecology, opening up views to the River Cherwell and enhancing the site as a green gateway into Oxford.
Addressing the local context
There is a particular opportunity to improve the site’s relationship to the surrounding context, including the frontage to The Plain, Magdalen Bridge and York Place.