Projects

Waynflete Building, Magdalen College

Client
Magdalen College

Location
Oxford

Status
Planning approved; on-site commencement in Summer 2025

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Magdalen College is set to deliver a transformative piece of student accommodation at the eastern gateway to Oxford. The Waynflete Building will provide best-in-class, energy-efficient living spaces while enhancing one of the city’s most prominent and historically sensitive locations.

Bidwells has supported the College as Project Manager from the project’s inception, guiding it through a rigorous planning process that included close engagement with Oxford City Council, Historic England, and the local community. This collaborative effort ensured that the scheme not only meets the College’s long-term needs but also contributes meaningfully to the wider heritage and landscape context of the city.

The building, designed by architects Stanton Williams, is a central element of Magdalen College’s 2019 Masterplan. It will create a new green gateway into Oxford from the east, with improved accessibility across the site and carefully considered relationships to The Plain, Magdalen Bridge, and the River Cherwell.

Sustainability is central to the design. The scheme is targeting Passivhaus certification and draws upon guidance from LETI, WELL, and BREEAM to achieve a truly low-energy, wellbeing-focused development. These aspirations are matched by ambitions to restore and enhance biodiversity through high-quality landscaping and improved riverfront ecology.

Planning permission was granted in February 2025, a major milestone for both the College and the wider city. Bidwells’ role has been instrumental in refining the proposals and managing stakeholder feedback to unlock this complex and highly visible site. Construction is due to commence in summer 2025, with the Waynflete Building poised to set a new benchmark for sustainable student living in Oxford.

David Jobbins said: "By closely collaborating with planners and Historic England, we refined a design that responds to its sensitive location while making a meaningful contribution to Oxford’s skyline.”

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Dave Jobbins

Head of Project Management, Oxford

Dave has a range of experience repurposing properties into award-winning facilities, from sports centres to the largest life science development in Oxford.

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Waynflete Building, Magdalen College

Share this project:

Magdalen College is set to deliver a transformative piece of student accommodation at the eastern gateway to Oxford. The Waynflete Building will provide best-in-class, energy-efficient living spaces while enhancing one of the city’s most prominent and historically sensitive locations.

David Jobbins said: "By closely collaborating with planners and Historic England, we refined a design that responds to its sensitive location while making a meaningful contribution to Oxford’s skyline.”

Get in touch with our team

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Waynflete Building, Magdalen College

Share this project:

Magdalen College is set to deliver a transformative piece of student accommodation at the eastern gateway to Oxford. The Waynflete Building will provide best-in-class, energy-efficient living spaces while enhancing one of the city’s most prominent and historically sensitive locations.

David Jobbins said: "By closely collaborating with planners and Historic England, we refined a design that responds to its sensitive location while making a meaningful contribution to Oxford’s skyline.”

Get in touch with our team

Related services:

Built Environment

Project Management

Insights to your inbox

Search Bidwells