Mansfield College has submitted plans for an extensive redevelopment of the College that would create 174 additional student bedrooms, as well as new teaching facilities. Mansfield described its estate transformation project as its “most significant investment” in decades.
The project aims to replace the buildings in the College’s South Range with a single, unified building. This new building would complete the College’s Main Quad , in addition to forming two new quads, theSouth and West Quads.
As well as facilitating additional student accommodation, the newly proposed building would reimagine the existing point of arrival into the College. It would include a new Porter’s Lodge, shared student kitchens, as well as new Junior and Middle Common Rooms.
The College also plans to construct a new two-story Mews Building, located on its northern side, which would contain catering ancillary facilities. This plan would see the addition of 150 double-stacked bike stands,and a new passenger lift extension to help improve accessibility.
A spokesperson for the College told Cherwell: “Mansfield is a beautiful and inspiring place to study, work and visit, but we have long since outgrown our current space. To ensure we can continue to lead the way on widening participation at Oxford, we need more high-quality student accommodation on site, with improved accessibility, digital connectivity, and increased communal and kitchen facilities.”
The new buildings will involve low-carbon designs, with the ambition of helping Mansfield fulfill its sustainability targets. Heat pumps and photovoltaics (the technology converting light into electricity) have been included to ensure a low-energy system. This is estimated to result in a 42% carbon reduction, exceeding Mansfield’s current target of 40%. The plan also aims to increase the College’s biodiversity by at least 10%.
Mansfield Principal Helen Mountfield, KC, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure Mansfield’s future for generations to come…By increasing on-site student accommodation, improving our green spaces and honouring the College’s heritage, this development helps both our community and the wider city to thrive.”
The project’s architects noted that the proposed design aims to complement the buildings on the College’s northern side, designed by 19th-century architect Basil Champneys. Edmund Fowles, the lead architect on the project, said: “We want the character of the new buildings to be ‘quietly radical’, speaking of the College’s present ambitions of diversity, openness, optimism, and social justice.”
Oxford City Council’s decision on whether to approve planning permission is expected to arrive in spring 2026. Prior to this, the application will be open for public consultation. If it receives approval, the College plans to begin construction in autumn 2026 and expects the project to be completed before the start of the 2029/30 academic year.
