AWARD-winning contractor Willmott Dixon has been appointed to work on Oxford University’s £1.5bn framework, contributing to ambitious estate plans.

Willmott Dixon has delivered significant projects across Oxfordshire, including the RAL Space facility at the Harwell science campus and numerous residential projects for Oxford City Council.

Now, through the framework, the contractor will be delivering projects for the university with a value between £5m to £20m alongside other contractors.

Projects in the framework will include a mixture of new developments and the refurbishment of some of the university’s existing 237 buildings.

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A quarter of these are listed assets, with a third built before 1840.

Oxford Mail:

David McCallion, director at Willmott Dixon, who will be leading projects on the framework, said: “We have a number of offices nationally and are proud to be based in Oxford as the local area is steeped in a rich history and continues to be at the heart of state-of-the-art research.

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“We are currently working with Oxford Children’s Hospital to relocate and expand Ronald McDonald House and expect to complete this project next year.

“This appointment marks a significant milestone for us and we are delighted to be building a strong relationship with Oxford University.

Oxford Mail:

"My team and I are looking forward to delivering high quality, future-proof facilities for the university.”

Community engagement plays a large role in all of Willmott Dixon’s projects and the contractor was recently awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Promoting Opportunity.

The firm worked closely with Oxford UTC last year as part of its Enrichment Programme, which is designed to develop students' personal and professional skills including communication, teamwork, problem solving and leadership.

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As part of Willmott Dixon’s involvement in the framework, it hopes to widen student participation in county projects.

Last month the UK’s leading heritage architecture practice, Purcell, won a place on the framework team to deliver capital projects under £20m.

Oxford Mail:

Last year Purcell was appointed to the Over £20m Capital Projects Framework with architecture practice NBBJ; this framework team is currently working on the new Centre for Life and Mind Sciences for the university.

Purcell is one of the world’s leading design practices with more than 70 years’ experience as architects, master planners and heritage consultants operating across regions of the UK and Asia Pacific.

READ AGAIN: Architects working on Oxford University framework

The architectural practice has provided expert consultancy and design services as architects, designers, heritage and specialist consultants on many of the UK’s best-known buildings.

In London Purcell has worked on a number of projects, including the restoration of Kensington Palace, Tower Bridge and the National Maritime Museum.

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The university’s Estates Strategy mission is to develop, maintain and manage the university estate to ensure the continued enhancement of its unique heritage, buildings and environment, and the provision of world-leading teaching and research.

Oxford Mail:

The Capital Projects Partner Framework is part of this, aiming to serve the wider community.

The university expects to invest about £120-£150 million per year on both new and refurbished facilities, guaranteeing the future suitability of its spaces.