A new £60m lab and innovation hub is set to open next year in Manchester Science Park.
Greenheys, a joint venture between tech-focused property developer Bruntwood SciTech, Legal and General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, will provide lab space to local businesses and researchers at a site neighbouring the University of Manchester.
Construction of the 131,000 sq ft workspace, expected to be completed in Summer 2026, has reached the topping out milestone, meaning the structural frame and foundation of the building has been completed.
“This important milestone at Greenheys brings us one step closer to supporting even more businesses within the scientific community to collaborate, scale and succeed,” commented Dr Kath Mackay, chief scientific officer at Bruntwood SciTech.
“Specialist and flexible office and lab spaces are crucial to helping our nation’s innovation economy to grow, but only if they also have access to connect and partner with other like-minded businesses and leading academic institutions.”
As well as providing a collaborative hub for local life sciences teams, the facility will also serve as the new headquarters of UK Biobank, a large-scale biomedical database and research company.
“Our move will allow us to grow existing links with the University of Manchester, which began more than 20 years ago, and forge new links with organisations spanning academia and the commercial sector,” said UK Biobank chief executive Professor Sir Rory Collins.
“This new facility will accelerate the public health discoveries UK Biobank is already enabling, by allowing us to deliver the generously donated biological samples and health data from our half a million participants even faster to scientists.”
The site comes as researchers warn of a lack of available laboratory space holding back growth in the UK life sciences sector.
In September 2024, Bruntwood SciTech launched a £20m startup hub in Leeds.
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