Oxford Community Centre
New Community Centre in Oxford
1377E
The client wants to replace an existing 2½-storey (plus small basement) building with a new 3-storey (plus basement) state-of-the-art community building on the lower two floors, and with residential accommodation on the two upper floors.
The new structure will provide a quality building, resolve many of the Community’s organisational issues, and offer an improved and excellent environment to occupiers and the local community into the foreseeable future.
The two-floor community is located across the ground floor and the basement below, and comprises:
- Office spaces and seminar/meeting rooms positioned around a central foyer
- A café fronting Cowley Road, which offers an external seating area
- Internal access by platform lift and stairs to the basement space
- External access, via a staircase. to the basement space which houses a multi-use hall for worship, lectures, small functions, and the existing nursery
- External access to the residential use on the two upper floors
- Cycle store for the residents
- A refuse space
- Access to the mikvah at the rear of the site, which also acts as an emergency escape route.
The two upper residential floors, accessed by a corner staircase, comprise 12no HMOs (6no at 16m2 and 6no at 18m2), all of which have private balconies.
STF are currently in negotiations with the planners, prior to submitting a planning application. The proposed new building will enhance the continuing evolution of an important section of the Jewish Community in Oxford.