Construction permission was given to Sir Robert McAlpine for the next phase of Manchester’s Citylabs biomedical research campus. Following the successful pre-let on the Citylab 2.0 building from global diagnostics firm QIAGEN, joint venture developers Manchester Science Partnerships and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust received approval for the next phase.
“We are proud to be part of the partnership that has led to this hugely important deal for our great city, and a thrilled that our long-standing customer QIAGEN has chosen our Citylabs 2.0 for their new home as they make this significant expansion,” said Tom Renn, Managing Director of Manchester Science Partnerships.
Subject to the completion of further design work and funding being secured, the partners intend to move forward with Citylabs 3.0 as soon as possible. Together, the projects will involve an investment of approximately £60 million in the heart of Manchester’s Innovation District.
Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0 will be located on the corner of Oxford Road and Hathersage Road, opposite Whitworth Park, with the £30 million Citylabs 2.0 comprising 89.500 sq ft of lab and office space.The first £25 million phase of the scheme was completed by Lendlease in 2014.
“With our joint venture partner, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we are excited to progress our £60 million, 220,000 sq ft Citylabs campus extension which will enable the creation of a world-leading precision medicine campus in Manchester,” added Tom Renn.
Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) is the UK’s leading provider of specialist environments and growth support to science and technology companies on their journey to business success. With campus facilities across Manchester and Cheshire, they offer incubation, laboratory, office and meeting space for businesses at all the different stages of their lifecycle, from start-up to global corporate.
As a partnership business comprising key education, research and clinical organisations across the Manchester city region, MSP’s wider network connects it into initiatives across the whole of the UK, providing unrivalled access to funding, markets, talent supply and professional services.
