Citylabs campus £150M extension set for 2017 start

The first phase of Bruntwood’s £60M extension of its Citylabs project at the Old St Mary’s Hospital on Oxford Road is scheduled to begin in 2017.

The project is a joint venture between Manchester Science Partnerships, of which Bruntwood is the majority shareholder, and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT).

Citylabs is a biomedical centre of excellence and its expansion will allow companies to grow and co-create new health products, in collaboration with the NHS and academia for the benefit of patients.

The project was initially announced in March 2016 and will support the delivery of clinical care, research and innovation, as well as the future development of CMFT’s estate.

It is envisaged that upon completion and when fully occupied, Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0 will being in over £100M to the economy and create over 750 new jobs.

The three-part Citylabs complex will have a development value of £150M.

Subject to planning permission, construction work on Citylabs 2.0 will start in spring 2017, and will be completed in summer 2018.

Citylabs 3.0 will see the creation of new buildings and integration with Old St Mary’s Hospital, which is a listed Victorian building. Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2018 and completed in 2020.

The scheme will also see the restoration of the former chapel, which will be converted into a café and dining area plus the possibility of meeting room facilities.

Rowena Burns, Chief Executive of Manchester Science Partnerships said: “It is entirely fitting that we are making this announcement as part of ESOF- an international event which is focused on innovation and collaboration – two of the pillars on which our business is built.

“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.”

Chris Oglesby, Chief Executive of Bruntwood and Chairman of Manchester Science Partnerships, said: “Our investment in Citylabs 1.0 has been a huge success and we are confident that Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0 will be similarly well received by businesses centred in bio-medical research and innovation.

“Manchester’s excellent connectivity, universities and talent pool, combined with its spirit of enterprise means the city is well placed to thrive in the coming years and we are determined to be at the heart of this journey.”

Steve Mycio OBE, Chairman of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: ”By working together in this way with industry, the NHS can ensure health technologies are developed that deliver better outcomes more efficiently to meet current and future needs of our patients and healthcare providers.

“Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0 is our first scheme under the Strategic Property Partnership that CMFT has formed with Bruntwood.  Its purpose is to help ensure that our hospital building and facilities are developed in a flexible and modern way to facilitate early access to new diagnostics and treatments.”

 

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