GVA has been appointed by the University of Birmingham to find a development and funding partner for the £300 million Birmingham Life Sciences Park.
Situated on a remediated 9.9 acre site in Selly Oak, outline planning consent is already in place with the potential to accommodate over 580,000 sq ft (54,000 sq m) of state-of-the-art facilities.
GVA will advise the University throughout the process and will assess prospective partners or consortia on their relevant experience and capability within the medical and life sciences sectors to bring forward the development.
Combining technology innovation platforms and high quality commercial accommodation, the Birmingham Life Sciences Park will act as a pioneering and globally significant location, bringing together researchers, clinicians, policy makers and industry to translate scientific and clinical insights into patient benefit and economic growth.
Proximity to a number of medical and learning facilities – including the University of Birmingham campus, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham Women’s Hospital and the Institute of Translational Medicine – will create a unique opportunity for businesses to harness the power of the city’s unrivalled health and translational research infrastructure.
GVA’s Carl Potter, who is leading the process, said: “This is a very specific and interesting project for the right partner who wants to enter into a long term relationship with the University. There are a growing number of developers and funders who are seeking opportunities such as this which enables development to fulfil a clear long term vision and purpose.
“The site is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the innovation which is already underway within this sector and which requires a real estate solution to continue its growth.”
The Life Sciences Park will align with the broader sector expertise already present in the region, with some 22,000 people employed at 600 companies across the West Midlands.
The uniquely co-located site will utilise the unrivalled healthcare infrastructure of Birmingham Health Partners, the Institute of Translational Medicine and BioHub Birmingham, alongside other centres of research and practice excellence located in close proximity to the site.
Dr Steve Taylor, Director of Strategy and Operations at Birmingham Life Sciences Park said: “The Park provides a fantastic opportunity for businesses to co-locate at the heart of our vibrant Birmingham Health Partners campus and work in partnership with our academic, clinical and patient community in order to accelerate new innovation into the clinic.
“The innovation space on the Park will bring together expertise in healthcare informatics, diagnostics, medical technologies and clinical trials to support the development and deployment of new precision therapies and diagnostics to deliver next-generation healthcare to our population and revolutionise approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.”
Following selection of a development partner, the Life Sciences Campus will undergo a phased delivery with a target for commencement of works in January 2020.
