A groundbreaking £40 million research and development (R&D) project at Milton Park has officially completed, with its innovative approach to sustainable construction cutting 686 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
The development, known as Nebula, comprises seven high-specification workspaces designed for science, technology, and advanced engineering companies. Spanning nearly 80,000 square feet, the buildings showcase an environmentally conscious design that incorporates glue-laminated (glulam) structural timber beams in place of traditional steel – a first for R&D facilities in the UK.
Delivered by Barnwood Limited, the use of sustainably sourced timber has dramatically reduced the development’s carbon footprint. In total, the construction process saved the equivalent of 196 return flights to Hong Kong in embodied carbon emissions.
Nebula’s buildings feature vaulted roof heights of eight metres, offering flexibility for companies needing to house large-scale scientific equipment or advanced engineering machinery. Interest in the site has been strong, with MEPC, the developer behind Milton Park, confirming that one of the workspaces has already been pre-let.
The project comes at a time of significant momentum for Milton Park, following the approval of a refreshed Local Development Order (LDO) – the UK’s first data-driven, green-focused planning agreement. The LDO allows planning decisions for future developments at Milton Park to be made in just ten days, paving the way for 4.2 million sq ft of new flexible laboratories, offices, and amenities, while creating thousands of new jobs.
Nebula also arrives as part of a broader regional push to boost infrastructure and investment across the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, a government-backed initiative aiming to unlock up to £78 billion of economic growth by 2035.
Welcoming the completion, Science Minister and Oxford-Cambridge Innovation Champion, Lord Vallance, highlighted Nebula’s importance in supporting the UK’s innovation ambitions. “Modern, high-tech facilities like this are essential for advancing rapidly developing science and technology. Developments such as Nebula will help businesses flourish and support the Government’s key priority of driving economic growth,” he said.
Philip Campbell, Commercial Director at MEPC Milton Park, described the project as a flagship example of sustainable development. “Nebula’s completion aligns perfectly with the Government’s ambitions for an ‘Oxford to Cambridge Silicon Corridor’. Thanks to the ten-day planning process enabled by our LDO, and the team’s commitment to blending cutting-edge design with sustainability, we’ve created a highly attractive environment for innovation.”
Future Nebula occupiers will benefit from MEPC’s £7 million investment in Milton Park’s energy infrastructure, which includes enhanced energy capacity and electric vehicle charging points for up to 32 vehicles. The development is also targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC A energy efficiency ratings.
Adding to its environmental and social credentials, surplus timber from the construction site was donated to RAW Workshop, an Oxfordshire social enterprise that transforms waste materials into educational resources and new products.
The Nebula project team included SRA Architects, ASA Landscape Architects, CBRE (leasing agents), Ridge & Partners LLP (BREEAM, cost management, M&E, project management), Stantec (civil and structural engineering), Mainer Associates (sustainability consultants), William Downie Associates (utilities), and Cundall (carbon consultants).
