International law firm Trowers & Hamlins advised Ellison Institute of Technology, Oxford Limited (EIT) on its £890 million Oxford Science Park acquisition, supporting a major expansion of the institute’s research campus.
The West Side of the park was purchased from The Oxford Science Park, a joint venture between Magdalen College, Oxford, and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC.
Supporting EIT’s Oxford Campus Expansion
The acquisition supports EIT’s plans to expand its Oxford presence to more than 2 million sq ft of laboratories, offices and collaborative spaces for research and education.
The expanded campus is intended to bring scientific research, technology and entrepreneurship together. It will support four areas of work:
- Health, medical science and generative biology
- Food security and sustainable agriculture
- Climate change and atmospheric CO₂ management
- Artificial intelligence and robotics
Connecting Scientific Discovery With Practical Solutions
Lisa Flashner, Chief Operating Officer at EIT Oxford, described the institute’s ambition to connect research, industry and policy so that scientific discoveries can translate into practical solutions.
She also highlighted EIT’s longstanding relationship with Trowers & Hamlins and the legal team’s understanding of the institute’s objectives.
Legal Expertise Behind the Transaction
Partner Tom Calnan led the acquisition for Trowers & Hamlins. He described the expanded campus as a significant development for Oxford and highlighted the precision and coordination required to complete the transaction.
The work involved the firm’s real estate, corporate, tax, construction, finance, planning, environmental and energy teams.
Specialist support included:
- Paul Andrews: Real Estate
- Nick Harrisingh and Alison Chivers: Corporate
- Assad Maqbool: Construction
- Michael Surry: Tax
Source: Trowers & Hamlins’ acquisition announcement.
Wider Property Development Context
Large research campuses require coordination across property acquisition, planning and construction. For related coverage, explore PAD Magazine’s property development news.
