The requirements of life science occupiers are nuanced and in order to provide the best quality of advice it is essential to understand them clearly and properly. The sector is hugely varied and encompasses (amongst other things) biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, biomedical technologies, life systems technologies, nutraceuticals, environmental sciences, and biomedical devices.

Sticking together

From a real estate perspective, the main property types are clusters, parks, and incubators. It is a sector which definitely benefits from the close proximity of complementary businesses and skill sets whether they are established enterprises or start-ups. In this context, the Oxford-Cambridge axis has been a long-established example. The clusters now developing in London are perhaps more representative of the sectors scope for growth.

There are a series of identifiable clusters in the capital at varying stages of development: King’s Cross (around the Francis Crick Institute); White City (adjacent to the Imperial College campus); and on the Southbank around Guy’s and St Thomas’s hospitals. These have been developing for some time and are now being joined by others at Paddington, Whitechapel, and Canary Wharf.

Last year saw Canary Wharf Group (CWG) and Kadans Science Partner securing planning permission for an 823,000 sq ft commercial health and life sciences building at North Quay. A 23-storey tower will provide life sciences laboratories and workspace in a “vertical campus” which is being promoted as Europe’s largest and most technologically advanced life sciences facility. Nearby at 20 Water Street, CWG has already completed 40,000 sq ft fully fitted, flexible, wet-labs facility which is geared towards early-stage life science companies who want to collaborate and innovate. It will no doubt also act as a feeder facility for the tower campus.

This joins an established group of life sciences and healthcare organisations at Canary Wharf including Genomics England, the Medical Defence Union, General Pharmaceutical Council, and NHS Transformation. While at Level 39 there is a cluster of 180 start-up and scale-up companies including an increasing number of life sciences focused businesses.

One stop along the Jubilee Line, British Land’s huge regeneration project at Canada Water is set to include a 300,000 sq ft life sciences scheme. The UK REIT and its funding partner, Australian Super, are drawing up plans for the second phase of its Canada Water Masterplan which has already created Paper Yard - 30,000 sq ft of modular lab space located next to TEDI-London, a new engineering higher education enterprise co-founded by three global universities: King’s College London, Arizona State University and UNSW Sydney.  The developers are looking to leverage the scheme’s close proximity to three leading teaching and research hospitals for further expansion and investment in what will be London’s newest cluster.

Beyond the Golden Triangle

Whilst the life sciences ‘Golden Triangle’ of Oxford-Cambridge-London can clearly deliver the scale of space and pool of talent to power this burgeoning sector, there are other hubs developing across the UK that are moving forward:

• Plans for the latest phase of Bruntwood SciTech’s Manchester Science Park were approved last summer. The joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General will deliver a £60m redevelopment of the park’s existing Greenheys building to bring 131,000 sq ft of lab space to market. It is the third phase of the park masterplan and is expected to open in spring 2026.
• Also in Manchester, Kadans, McLaren, Property Alliance Group, and Moda Living have consent for the redevelopment of 7.5 acres at Upper Brook Street which would provide 700,000 sq ft of lab space plus accommodation for around 2,000 students.
• At Stevenage, UBS Asset Management and Reef Group has received approval to create one of Europe’s largest life science campuses alongside GSK’s existing Global R&D facility at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst. The 15-building campus will comprise a variety of different uses, including R&D labs and offices, GMP manufacturing facilities and flexible lab buildings.
• AstraZeneca intends to invest £450m at Speke, Liverpool, for a facility researching, developing and manufacturing vaccines which will be operationally net zero with power supplied from renewable energy sources.
• The Newcastle Helix is a 24-acre project in the city’s centre which is aimed at international tech and science businesses, and has recently seen one of its start-up occupiers, GlycanAge, secure more than £4m in funding for its biotechnology research into the aging process.
• In Leeds, a developer for the Old Medical School building will soon be appointed to transform the property into a healthtech innovation hub as the first phase of the Innovation Village scheme. This will be the first phase of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s 1m sq ft Leeds Innovation Village on the site of Leeds General Infirmary. The project is expected to deliver 4,000 jobs and an economic boost for the area worth up to £13bn.

The Life Sciences learning curve

Given that the life sciences industry encompasses a wide range of activities, the learning curve for the property industry has been and will continue to be steep. It is an area which often requires intensive capital expenditure to create the space and services that many of these specialised businesses require.

For companies involved in pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing, purpose-built facilities are essential to meeting stringent regulatory requirements and ensure product quality and safety. These facilities often must adhere to the European Medicines Agency’s Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines, incorporating cleanroom technology, sterile processing areas, and stringent quality control measures.

Property providers are quickly adapting, to navigate the complexities of the life sciences sector, from leasing agreements and zoning regulations to building design and sustainability standards. All are required whether it is the development of a specialist life sciences park in the Oxford-Cambridge arc or an urban cluster in London or Manchester.

Providing flexibility is also key to meeting the evolving needs of life science businesses through adaptable floor plans, infrastructure upgrades, or value-added services. By aligning their offerings with the priorities of the life sciences industry, property providers can position themselves as preferred partners and capitalise on the sector's growth potential.

Political support paves the way

Whatever happens in the forthcoming election, the sector certainly appears to have the support of the two main parties. In October last year, Rishi Sunak announced a new mission to accelerate the use of AI in life sciences to tackle the biggest health challenges of this generation. Meanwhile, the Labour Party has announced an intention to increase research & development in Britain’s pharmaceutical industry by £10bn a year if it comes into power.

This convergence of growing businesses, willing property providers and a supportive Government means that life sciences look set to be an important part of the real estate landscape. According to Glenigan, there are 162 life science research and development schemes with plans approved across the UK, with a total development value of nearly £8.2bn. As the sector continues to expand, the demand for specialised spaces will grow, presenting opportunities for property providers to play a pivotal role in supporting the growth and success of both the life sciences sector and the wider economy.