THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACEMAKING ON BUSINESS PARKS

Thoughtfully designed recreational and leisure space on a business park can have a big part to play in the cross fertilisation of ideas and innovation. If you give people a place to mingle and wander, connections will be made.

That’s certainly true of Milton Park near Oxford, and also at Culham Science Centre down the road near Abingdon, where at lunchtime scientists and engineers have been known to play informal games of football on the extensive green spaces.

Other business and technology parks score through their geographical location, such as at Oxford Technology Park at Kidlington, where the first phase of more than 140,000 sq ft of development is under way, and which has the unique benefit of an airport right next door. While few business parks can boast that, the 20-acre park will also offer a gym, shops and other amenities when completed.

At Milton Park near Oxford, placemaking has always been about how amenities, recreation and leisure can successfully be integrated into a science and technology park environment, according to

“Since Milton Park was established more than 35 years ago, a key part of our investment has been in making it a connected place with green spaces on the doorstep, places to walk and shops to grab a bite to eat or post a letter.”

Recreation and leisure space can be successfully integrated into a science park environment with forethought and good design, he said.

A key consideration is how the space might be used as an extension of the internal office space. Providing areas where people can hold outdoor meetings, eat lunch or areas for contemplation.

“Today we have 250 companies, more than 25 amenities on-site and 2,653 trees; it sounds exact because every single tree is registered and logged with landscape architects.”

Green initiatives also include planting wildflowers, swift boxes and duck islands