First phase of scheme beingbuilt by Laing O鈥橰ourke and due to open next year

A life sciences specialist has been appointed the new managing director for Oxford North ahead of its planned opening next year.

The 拢700m 鈥榠nnovation district鈥 will comprise one million sq ft of new labs and workspace and 480 new homes surrounded by public parks and amenities.

Simon Ruck has joined from Brookfield-owned Advanced Research Clusters where he was director of asset management at the Harwell campus in Oxfordshire.

Simon Ruck joins Oxford North as new Managing Director

Simon Ruck joins Oxford North as new managing director

Prior to this, he was vice president of asset management at Brookfield Office Properties and development director at Brookfield Developments. He has also worked for Grainger, Multiplex Developments and Bovis Lend Lease.

Oxford North Ventures is a joint company involving the St John鈥檚 College development firm 鈥 Thomas White Oxford 鈥 as well as Ontario Teachers鈥 Pension Plan and Stanhope.

As well as Ruck, Oxford North has also recruited Kevin Reid as its new energy and engineering manager. He has joined from M&E specialist Emcor.

David Camp, Stanhope鈥檚 chief executive, added that more appointments were on their way: 鈥淲e will continue to expand the on-site team as we head towards opening.鈥

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The flagship Red 好色先生TV, so-called because of its red roof, is part of the first phase at Oxford North being built by Laing O鈥橰ourke

Oxford North鈥檚 flagship Red Hall building, which was designed by Fletcher Priest and is currently being built by Laing O鈥橰ourke, will run across 4,000 sq m while the first phase also includes two further laboratory buildings with a combined floorspace of nearly 11,000 sq m. It is scheduled to complete by the middle of next year.