The Crown Estate has acquired a 221-acre site adjacent to the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, with plans for a £4.5 billion expansion known as Harwell East. The development could deliver up to 4.5 million square feet of office, laboratory, and advanced manufacturing space, as well as up to 400 new homes.

This acquisition reflects The Crown Estate’s commitment to investing in the UK’s science, technology, and innovation sectors, with up to £1.5 billion pledged over the next 15 years. The project aims to create world-class facilities for cutting-edge research and strengthen the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as a leading hub for scientific and entrepreneurial activity.

Harwell is one of the UK’s premier science and innovation clusters, supporting research in life sciences, clean energy, space, and particle physics. The expansion will provide the specialised laboratories, advanced manufacturing spaces, and housing required by fast-growing technology and science businesses, supporting regional and national economic growth.

Key stakeholders, including Oxford Science Enterprises and the Pioneer Group, view the development as unlocking much-needed lab and mid-tech space for scaling science and technology companies. The UK government and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology have also expressed support, recognising the site’s potential for economic growth and global scientific impact.

The Crown Estate’s Harwell East project is set to significantly enhance the UK’s capacity for scientific innovation, business growth, and housing in one of its fastest-growing sectors.