Council to undertake some Speedwell House work early to prepare the building and save on inflation costs

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet has agreed to use already approved funding at an earlier than previously planned juncture in the ongoing project to redevelop Speedwell House as its city centre hub with a planned opening remaining as April 2028.

The building will replace County Hall as the council’s city centre hub. The aim is to create a high-quality flexible space for colleagues and councillors to work and meet in. The development will also play an important part in the regeneration of the southern end of the city centre.

The overall budget for the Speedwell House project remains unchanged and is still being paid for entirely from the receipts of the sale of County Hall. The cabinet decision is merely a case of seeking earlier than previously planned use of funding to prepare the building for fit out, reduce exposure to construction cost inflation and allow key items that take a long time to deliver to be ordered.

Work will include internal strip-out, structural alterations, fabric repairs, fire protection work and early procurement of window and roofing materials

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, said: “The earlier we pay for certain things in the Speedwell House project the less exposed we are to inflation. No additional funding was requested of cabinet and none is approved.”

“It will be exciting to see the building take shape and we believe it will help regenerate this area of Oxford as well as being a modern, net-zero home for council staff and councillors into the future, whatever shape Oxfordshire’s local government takes. As we have said, the sale of County Hall will provide the funding for the renewal of Speedwell House. The plan works financially as well as operationally.”

As reported in September 2025, contracts have been exchanged for the sale of County Hall to global investor and UK real estate owner and operator L&G, on behalf of its Managed Property Fund. They have commissioned developers Reef Origin who already have strong experience of working in Oxford.

The plan remains to move from County Hall in late 2026. During 2027 and early 2028 the council plans to utilise its existing office space in and beyond Oxford to accommodate staff whose current home base is County Hall as well as a council chamber and coroner’s court. It will also use Midland House in Botley.

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