Council adds Midland House in Botley to its office space for 2027/8
Oxfordshire County Council has added Midland House in Botley to its wider office accommodation plans for the interim period between County Hall closing as an office to be reimagined as a hotel and a renewed Speedwell House entering service.
The Botley office, located on West Way near Seacourt Tower, is viewed as an ideal spot given it offers practical, well-equipped workspaces as well offering good transport links including proximity to Seacourt Park and Ride.
The move is part of the council’s broader programme to make best use of its buildings, support more flexible ways of working, and make sure teams have access to suitable, modern office space across Oxfordshire. County Hall will close in late 2026 and Speedwell House will open in Spring 2028.
Contracts were exchanged in late 2025 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.
Cllr Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, said: “We are looking forward in coming times to seeing Speedwell House taking shape as a new net zero office in 2028 as well as watching County Hall change and then thrive in its new guise as a hotel. The sale of County Hall is providing the funding for the renewal of Speedwell House. The plan works financially as well as operationally.
“The move to Speedwell House will help regenerate and boost that area just to the south of the city centre and the hotel at County Hall is part of continued work to improve the western arrival into the city, with the council having recently acquired the lease at the Oxford Castle complex and the transformation that is underway around the railway station.
“Our existing offices throughout the county will provide bases for our teams and these will now be supplemented by the excellent and ideally located Midland House. These are solid plans from which our officers can continue to provide excellent services to the people of Oxfordshire,”