Plans have been submitted for a £60m expansion of Manchester Science Partnerships’ Citylabs campus, which could create 750 jobs.
Announced at the EuroScience Open Forum in 2016, Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0 will be on Oxford Road, to the south of the city centre, next to Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Billed as Europe’s largest clinical-academic campus, the new development will enable biomedical companies to grow and co-create new health products, in collaboration with the NHS.
The proposal is a joint venture between MSP and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT), and could boost the local economy by £100m.
If approved, construction will begin in autumn of this year, and the project should be completed by later 2018.
Phase one of the project, the £25m Citylabs 2.0, will house 92,000 sq ft of lab and office space. Phase two, Citylabs 3.0, will integrate the development of new buildings with the existing Old Saint Mary’s Hospital building.
The second part of construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2018, and for completion in 2020.
Rowena Burns, chief executive of Manchester Science Partnerships said: “Manchester’s Innovation District will be strengthened further by the development of Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0.
“Our investment will help create fresh ideas, partnerships and scientific discovery.
“Above all, Manchester and the north west offer investors outstanding access to talent, knowledge and clinical facilities.”
Managing director of MSP Thomas Renn said: “After consulting with the local community and other stakeholders last month, we’re pleased and excited to be bringing this ambitious development forward.
“The success of Citylabs 1.0 – which was fully let within 15 months of opening – has given us the confidence to invest in phases two and three, and we are sure demand will be strong for these high quality facilities located in a great physical and intellectual environment.”
Chris Roberts, development director at Bruntwood – MSP’s parent company – said the scheme is a great vote of confidence in Manchester.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester council told Manchester Evening News: “Citylabs epitomises Manchester’s proud tradition of cutting edge research, one of our distinctive strengths.
“This major investment sends out a resounding message thatwe remain an outward and forward-looking city in which those who want to invest and create jobs can flourish.”
Keith Chantler, Director of Innovation at CMFT added: “This joint partnership with MSP offers a fantastic opportunity for our patients, staff and our hospitals, to further develop the successful Citylabs cluster. Citylabs brings together NHS, university and industry partners to co-develop new healthcare technologies.
“By involving clinicians and patients from the start of the development and testing process, products are more likely to meet our future needs, and be rapidly adopted by the NHS and other health services across the world.”