IMA instructed on redevelopment of Monument Business Park
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 3 July 2026
IMA Architects has been instructed by Wulff Capital to lead the architectural design of a major redevelopment of Monument Business Park in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, with a hybrid planning application now submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council.
Monument Business Park is an established 20.7-acre employment site eight miles south east of Oxford, home to around 80 businesses and more than 600 employees across industrial, storage, office, food production, leisure and medical uses, alongside a café, meeting rooms and seven on-site residential units. Wulff Capital, which acquired the park in late 2024, appointed IMA to translate its refreshed vision for the site into a deliverable scheme that modernises and intensifies the existing employment space.
The hybrid application would deliver up to circa 12,726 sq m of new commercial floorspace across the park. Phase one, submitted in full, comprises the demolition of former agricultural buildings and the erection of four new employment units – Plots A, F, G and H – for use within Use Classes E(g)(ii), E(g)(iii), B2 and B8. The remaining phases are submitted in outline for up to 8,500 sq m of further space.
Designed to institutional standards for flexibility, the phase one units are well suited to a broad spectrum of modern occupiers given the site’s proximity to Oxford. Each plot will be served by new parking and cycle provision – with room for 58 cars – and an accompanying transport statement confirms the highway network can comfortably accommodate the development.
Monument Park carries more than 40 years of history as a business park and was part of a wartime airfield before that. The design responds to this context and to the nearby John Hampden Monument: particular care has been taken with Plot H, which sits closest to the monument and incorporates a timber screen, generous set-backs and enhanced landscaping to protect views.
All buildings will achieve BREEAM Excellent, be electrically heated and cooled with no gas supply, and feature photovoltaic panels and EV charging as standard.
Jack Mellor of IMA Architects comments:
“Monument Business Park is a well-established and successful employment site, and our brief from Wulff Capital was to deliver a refreshed vision that makes better use of the land while respecting its rural setting and heritage. We’ve worked hard to balance growth and modernisation with the landscape and heritage sensitivities of the site, and we’re looking forward to a decision on the application.”
IMA has been instructed up to planning and the project is currently at RIBA Stage 3, with the application now open for public consultation and a decision awaited. The practice will continue to take the scheme through to completion, subject to Wulff Capital’s plans and occupier interest, with construction co-ordinated through a management plan to minimise disruption to the active site.
Ben Cowles of Wulff Capital adds:
“Monument Business Park has a strong legacy and an excellent location close to Oxford, and these proposals build on that foundation. Working with IMA, we’ve developed a scheme that will deliver modern, sustainable commercial space, support the growth of existing tenants and attract new businesses to the area.”
Laurence Alden, Co-Founder at BlueBird Land, the project managers for the scheme, adds:
“Wulff acquired a well performing asset with excellent potential for further development. These proposals unlock that potential, creating modern flexible space that enables growth for tenants within the park as well as units which will attract new occupiers to this part of South Oxfordshire. Phasing the work ensures we deliver the right products for the market and minimise the impact on the existing users of the business park.”
IMA is an award-winning firm of architects based in Blaby, Leicestershire. The firm has grown from a two-person team to work with a range of FTSE 100 companies, such as Marks and Spencer, and global brands such as Lidl.
