MEPC appoints Curo Construction to deliver Signal Yard vision at Milton Park
A signal to the future as Milton Park’s £14m amenity redevelopment project gets underway
[NOVEMBER 2024] MEPC has appointed Curo Construction as the contractor on the Signal Yard amenity project at Milton Park, Oxfordshire, the UK’s largest single ownership innovation community.
With works already underway, the £14m project will see the redevelopment of the former Park Centre into a vibrant community and social hub which will act as the focal point of Milton Park’s amenity provision.
Once complete, Signal Yard will bring 18 state-of-the-art units offering a vibrant mix of food, drinks, retail services and an outdoor events space nestled within a series of hard and soft landscaped areas.
The name Signal Yard was chosen as it draws inspiration from Milton Park’s history as a former RAF depot and MOD site, together with its proximity to the Great Western mainline railway line, which runs along the south of the site. ‘Signals’ are the backbone of innovation and communication, whilst a ‘Yard’ is a more friendly and informal name for what will become a vibrant community hub.
The initial enabling works have started and will include soft demolition, hoarding construction and site preparation. Working closely with Object Space Place Architects, Curo will work to redevelop the existing buildings to better serve as amenity use while significantly improving their energy performance.
Once complete, the buildings will be opened up at ground floor level with a new series of timber shopfronts, a unifying green colour scheme and a timber framed extension which will face Park Drive and the outdoor events space.
The project will also involve the removal of the current light-blocking ‘tent’ canopy structure which will open a swathe of opportunities for landscape architecture. This will include a cascading garden and space for seating, making the new development more welcoming whilst giving plants the space and light to thrive.
The landscape and architectural elements have been designed to work seamlessly together to connect the indoors and outdoors. ASA Landscape Architects have designed a variety of outdoor spaces all of which are universally accessible which feature rain gardens, cascading gardens, gravel gardens, a tree nursery and a boardwalk to the nearby lagoon. Moveable planters will be distributed throughout, featuring ornamental perennials, grasses and climbers, allowing for the flexible adaptation of the space to a variety of events and activities.
Conor Maguire, Development Manager at MEPC Milton Park, emphasised the importance of this project for the Park’s community: “At MEPC, we are very excited to bring this transformative project forward to better serve the needs of our community at Milton Park. Curo Construction’s experience, collaborative approach and commitment to quality makes them an ideal partner to bring the project team’s vision to life.
“We are currently curating an exciting mix of potential occupiers for Signal Yard. If you think you might be a good fit, please reach out to our team.”
Curo Construction’s Project Director, Carlo Carenza, explains more about the project: “We’re excited to oversee the transformation of the site into a place people will want to relax, socialise and spend time in. At Curo, we are focused on delivering our projects to the highest safety standards and also ensuring we deliver the highest levels of quality. We also focus on respecting those working nearby and constructing in sustainable ways, ensuring we reduce carbon emissions through innovative design and construction methods.
“We’re looking forward to seeing people enjoy Signal Yard’s spaces and amenities upon completion.”
Brendan Mullard, Director at Object Space Place, said: “Signal Yard is an exciting project that brings life back to the four existing buildings and landscape that was Park Centre. From the start we knew we needed to create a ‘place’ and not a ‘design’. The spirit of Signal Yard will come from the occupiers, visitors and the way the buildings connect to the landscape and the architecture just needs to find a way to allow all of that to happen.
“At OSP our work is focused on Sustainability and Hospitality design, so the opportunity to creatively reuse and adapt the existing buildings to make new hospitality space has been perfect. The project includes circular economy strategies for reuse and new parts are built primarily in timber to reduce embodied carbon.”
Maria Lara Mijancos, Senior Landscape Architect at ASA Landscape Architects, said: “Signal Yard is set to become a vibrant, green destination within Milton Park, designed to promote social interaction and wellbeing. The scheme integrates a sequence of distinctive spaces, including cascading gardens, a tree nursery, rain gardens and the boardwalk – each space has been designed to enhance biodiversity as well as spatial connectivity, creating an inviting retreat where the community can connect, relax and enjoy.”
Those involved in bringing forward the Signal Yard vision include: Curo Construction (Main Contractor) Ridge & Partners (Project Manager), Object Space Place (Architect), ASA Landscape Architects (Landscape Architect), Benedicts (Retail Agent), Beadmans (Quantity Surveyor), Forward Structural (Structural Engineer), Glanville (Civil Engineering), AltFire (Fire Consultant), Carbon Climate Certified (BREEAM), Cook Brown (Building Control), Cundall (Sustainability).
To find out more about the Signal Yard redevelopment, please visit: https://www.miltonpark.co.uk/signal-yard/
For more information on Milton Park, please visit: www.miltonpark.com
