Begbroke Science Park

Begbroke Science Park lies five miles north of Oxford on land once used for agriculture. The park covers ten acres at the centre of Oxford University’s 200-acre estate. Research began here in 1960 with the Weed Research Organisation, followed by the Cookson Group’s Technology Centre. Oxford University bought the site in 1998 and now runs it through its Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division. The park hosts modern laboratories and workshops for start-ups and established firms. In 2017 the Begbroke Innovation Accelerator opened as an extension of the Centre for Innovation and Enterprise. Companies working on materials, sensors and environmental technologies share the space. The university’s agricultural fields surround the park, linking research with practical land use. Visitors see glass-fronted buildings set among green fields and hedgerows. Paths wind past demonstration plots where new crop varieties are tested. The entrance leads to a central courtyard framed by the accelerator and older research blocks. Signs explain projects on display, from energy-saving sensors to sustainable materials. The quiet setting contrasts with the cutting-edge work inside.