SDC has completed and handed over the Norham Gardens student accommodation project for prestigious university college clients, St Edmund Hall, delivering 127 high-quality bedrooms, alongside communal spaces and landscaped gardens.
The 4,600m2 development, located in the Oxford Conservation Area, provides three new Passivhaus buildings and the refurbishment and retrofit of two existing buildings, including a Victorian villa. The scheme was designed with the intention to increase the availability of affordable student accommodation, while respecting the historic charm of the surrounding local area.
The completed scheme includes cluster flats for six to ten students, each with shared kitchen and social spaces. Accessibility was also prioritised throughout the construction process, with dedicated accessible bedrooms, step-free routes and lifts serving all three new buildings.
Another key driver in the project’s development was an equally rigorous commitment to environmental stewardship. The new buildings feature prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) structures, high levels of insulation, triple glazing and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. Air source heat pumps and photovoltaic (PV) arrays provided low-carbon energy, while Dunbabin Lodge (the retained Victorian Villa) was carefully updated using EnerPhit principles to improve its thermal performance while retaining its historic character.
These environmental ambitions extend into the landscape design, which delivers an 88% biodiversity net gain and strengthens the relationship between the development and its setting. Character gardens, mature planting and an ecology pond have been carefully selected to create a greener, climate-resilient environment, with landscaped communal areas providing spaces to support student wellbeing and encourage social interaction.
Beyond construction activities, the project also supported key skills development and provided SDC apprentices and management trainees with hands-on experience in a live construction environment.
Completed in April 2026, the Norham Gardens development has since been shortlisted for the OxProp Awards, Brick Awards and Oxford Preservation Trust Awards 2026, recognising its contribution to sustainable residential development.
Adam Cripps, Regional Design & Preconstruction Lead at SDC, reflected on the project:
“SDC are incredibly proud to have delivered this landmark development for St Edmund Hall. The project’s successful completion reflects the commitment, technical expertise and close collaboration of the College, the design team, and our specialist supply-chain partners. Norham St Edmund sets an exceptional benchmark for low-energy, high-quality student accommodation, and we’re proud to add it to our growing portfolio of Passivhaus projects.
Working collaboratively with St Edmund Hall, we’ve helped bring their vision for sustainable living to life while addressing the pressing need for more affordable student accommodation in Oxford. The development will enable more students to remain within the College community throughout their studies. It is an honour to have played a part in delivering a sustainable, inclusive, and enduring project that will benefit generations of students”.
