All Souls College has received a planning permission from Oxford City Council for a project to “redevelop and revitalise” 10-15 High Street. Currently, these buildings are occupied by David Clulow Opticians, Caffe Nero and Whittards.
According to the press release, the project will aim to “renew these buildings sensitively, to provide much needed teaching and research accommodation for the College in the upper floors of the buildings, and to invest in the retail premises for the High Street.”
The project will include three additional seminar spaces, including a 100-seat lecture theatre, studies and offices for the administrative team, and a roof garden. The spaces will be built primarily for academic use, but All Souls has indicated it is open to running public lectures as well once the building is open.
The college has also expressed plans to invest in sustainability. Refurbishment is intended to improve the energy efficiency of the historic buildings, “minimising the College’s carbon footprint and moving as far as possible to a net zero position”.
Oxford Preservation Trust (OPT) responded to the planning application saying they “welcome the restoration of the buildings, and particularly the works to the High Street elevation, including works to improve the appearance of the existing shop fronts”. OPT noted that more information needed to be provided regarding the proposed roof terrace, as elements like lighting or area of seating “could impact upon how visible this area becomes within elevated views across the skyline”.
All Souls’ press release highlighted the “opportunity to work with neighbours, including the Covered Market”. The college is planning to invest in improving the entrances and passageways into the Market. Further, the college will work to ensure that extensive scaffolding during the construction works causes minimal hindrance to visitors.
There have been preliminary works on site for two years. The main construction works, given All Souls goes through with the project, are expected to commence closer to the end of 2025. The project is estimated to be completed by the middle of 2028.
