Promising outlook for biotech & life sciences construction

The start of work on what has been described as the country’s first ‘laboratory skyscraper’ at Canary Wharf last month has underlined the promising outlook for new life sciences construction.

The £500 million One North Quay Life Science Building will be the largest commercial wet lab-enabled life science building in Europe and will involve almost 80,000 sq m of space over 23 storeys. Work on the project, being developed by Canary Wharf Group and Kadans Science Partner, is set to run for 37 months (Project ID: 22120609).

The Canary Wharf life sciences construction project aims to address a continuing shortage of high-quality lab space for startups and growing businesses in the life sciences sector.

According to agents CBRE, take up in the sector is expected to increase this year as around 2 million sq ft of lab space will be completed, much of it in the so-called Golden Triangle between Cambridge, London, and Oxford. However, the agent says the ongoing demand for life sciences laboratory space will continue to outstrip supply. This bodes well for new development activity in the sector.

Developments for a flourishing sector

Glenigan data provides numerous examples of new life sciences construction projects which are in the pipeline, and which offer opportunities for new contracts.

One of the largest projects set to get underway is the £180 million Grafton Centre Redevelopment in Cambridge (pictured), a former shopping complex where almost 48,000 sq m of life sciences floorspace is to be built, along with retail, hotel and cinema space. Work on the scheme is set to start later this year and run for two years (Project ID: 23099519).

Meanwhile, in Oxford, The Crown Estate is set to redevelop a former Debenhams store in the city into a 9,290 sq m life sciences space. Work on the £125 million project is set to start next year and run for 37 months (Project ID: 24153028).

Elsewhere in Oxford, Sackville UK is drafting a full planning application to convert Barclay House in the city’s Botley Road into a laboratory. Work on the £19.4 million project is set to start early in 2026 (Project ID: 24117685).

Beyond the university city, a new outline planning permission has recently been submitted by De Montalt Life Sciences for the £42.3 million BioGenia Science Park at Faringdon in Oxfordshire. It involves seven units with almost 43,000 sq m of space to be built in a former quarry site (Project ID: 23079602)

Other major life sciences construction projects in the pipeline include the Stevenage Life Science Quarter; a mixed-use development which will eventually be worth £400 million. Contracts for the first life science building – known as Assembly, The Forum – are being negotiated with work on the £21.4 million scheme set to start early in the new year (Project ID: 24184840).

The sector is also generating some significant fit-out and refurbishment projects to create space suitable for life sciences firms. Overbury Group – part of Morgan Sindall – started work over the summer on a £50 million office & lab fit-out for British Land at 1 Triton Square in Camden. Work on the scheme, involving over 20, 000 sq m of lab & office space, is set to run until summer 2025 (Project ID: 24076008).

ISG administration

The administration of ISG is also creating opportunities for contractors seeking work in the life sciences sector.

Glenigan data shows that ISG Construction was the main contractor on the £40 million Oxfordshire Bio Centre Milton Park for MEPC (UK), where work on an office conversion project was due to start this autumn (Project ID: 19176548).

ISG Construction was also the construction manager on a £60 million laboratory hub building, Project Apple – UCB Windlesham in Surrey where work is underway and set to run until autumn next year (Project ID: 21159369).

Meanwhile, ISG Construction was also the main contractor on Project Borealis, a £200 million vaccine manufacturing facility being built at Billingham in Cleveland for Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. Work on the project is due to run until early next year (Project ID: 22310324).