Barnwood Reports Strong Growth and Expands Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Projects
Barnwood Limited has reported a strong first half of the year, with recent project completions and a strengthened pipeline putting the contractor on a firm footing for delivery along the revived Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.
The Gloucestershire-headquartered firm has completed £40m of work in the Oxfordshire area over the past two years and is anticipating an equally strong end to 2025.
The renewed confidence follows the renewal of the Oxfordshire Growth Corridor and targeted investment across the eight high-growth sectors outlined in the Industrial Strategy. Ranging from life sciences and advanced manufacturing to clean energy and digital technologies, the Government hopes the IS-8 sectors will stimulate sustainable growth.
Barnwood says this targeted support will spell good news for confidence in the construction sector, which has seen outputs increase 0.9% in April 2025, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics.
With a turnover of £131m and 215 employees, Barnwood believes the turnaround in confidence and a renewed push on the Corridor will result in an optimistic end to the year.
Dave Piper, Joint Managing Director of Barnwood Limited’s Construction Division, said: “With a renewed focus on the Corridor and support for key sectors outlined in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, we are anticipating an improvement in confidence across the construction sector.”
Having delivered £150 million in projects across Oxfordshire over the past 20 years, Dave expects the Government’s ambitions to support innovation and to deliver increased investment and a resulting boom for built environment projects along the Corridor.
Barnwood’s portfolio of projects includes award-winning science and innovation facilities, educational buildings and low-carbon commercial schemes, aligning closely with the Government’s focus areas.
Flagship projects include Nebula at Milton Park, a sustainable 80,000 sq ft R&D development which Barnwood delivered for MEPC. Shortlisted for several national awards, it features glulam timber, low-embodied carbon materials and is targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification.
Dave continued: “Barnwood has the regional knowledge and expertise to deliver the high-performance, sustainable buildings the Government is looking for. From life sciences and advanced manufacturing to education and clean energy, the projects dovetail into our own environmental and innovation ambitions, showing that sustainability and growth can go hand in hand.
“We expect the Government’s commitment to investing in these strategic sectors will soon translate into real opportunities on the ground.”
Barnwood has recently secured a project at Grove Business Park, which will deliver flexible innovation-ready workspace to meet rising demand, allowing high-growth companies to scale rapidly. Works have also started on site at Wood Green School, which will see the addition of a two-storey extension within one of the existing school courtyards.
Dave added: “The delivery of Nebula at Milton Park, shows we can offer not only construction expertise, but real value in shaping the places where the UK’s next-generation industries will thrive.
“We’ve been delivering in Oxfordshire for more than 20 years; not just with bricks and mortar, but in creating long-term partnerships, apprenticeships and projects that genuinely support the region’s development.
“Oxford and the wider corridor are national testbeds for science and innovation-led growth, which is why we’re excited to see what the future holds.”
With a diverse mix of community, scientific and commercial projects, recent schemes across Barnwood’s Oxfordshire portfolio include: Bee House at Milton Park, the Botnar Research Centre at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, CABI’s international headquarters in Wallingford (winner of two Project of the Year awards), Project Zeus at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, The Schrodinger Building at Oxford Science Park and Kingsgrove Primary School in Wantage.
The company has said it will continue to invest in local talent and sustainable practices, maintaining a dedicated Oxfordshire-based team including apprentices.
For more information on Barnwood Limited’s projects across Oxfordshire, please visit: https://barnwood.co.uk/
