A new, £900 million life science campus with 15 buildings in Hertfordshire has been approved.
The campus would offer 1.6 million square feet (148,645 sq. m) of space for labs, offices, and manufacturing facilities in Stevenage.
The project, named Elevate Quarter, will be “one of Europe’s largest life science campuses,” according to its developers UBS Asset Management and Reef Group, who also asserted that it could generate up to 5,000 new jobs.
Additionally, there would be three transportation hubs with multi-story parking for cars and bicycles, cafes, restaurants, and leisure facilities in the area.
With a network of paths and open spaces connecting the buildings, a central green would be the focal point of the development.
The plans, which would be built next to the global R&D facility for pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline and the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, were approved by the planning and development committee of the Stevenage Borough Council.
The redevelopment of The Forum shopping center into new manufacturing facilities, a project already underway by the company in Stevenage, received approval in February.
‘Ideally positioned’
Piers Slater, joint chief executive of Reef Group, said: “The approval of our new life science campus further cements its position as Europe’s leading cluster for advanced therapies.
“Stevenage is ideally positioned to attract world-class talent and the campus will facilitate further collaboration between major multinationals and biotechs.
“The campus has been designed to allow these life science businesses to grow and scale-up over time and to create an open and accessible environment for both employees and the wider public.”
Dr Sally Ann Forsyth OBE, chief executive officer of Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, added: “This is a landmark day for Stevenage and UK science, strengthening our position on the global stage for technological and scientific excellence.”
Construction was expected to start at the end of the year with completion of the first phase for the end of 2025.
Source-BBC
