GVA seeks development partner for University of Birmingham's £200 million Birmingham Life Sciences Park

GVA has been appointed by the University of Birmingham to find a development and funding partner for the £300 million Birmingham Life Sciences Park.

Situated on a remediated 9.9 acre site in Selly Oak, outline planning consent is already in place with the potential to accommodate in excess of 54 000 sq m (580 000 sq ft) of state-of-the-art facilities.

GVA will advise the University throughout the process and will assess prospective partners or consortia on their relevant experience and capability within the medical and life sciences sectors to bring forward the development.

Combining technology innovation platforms and high quality commercial accommodation, the Birmingham Life Sciences Park will act as a pioneering and globally significant location, bringing together researchers, clinicians, policy makers and industry to translate scientific and clinical insights into patient benefit and economic growth.

Proximity to a number of medical and learning facilities – including the University of Birmingham campus, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham Women’s Hospital and the Institute of Translational Medicine – will create a unique opportunity for businesses to harness the power of the city’s unrivalled health and translational research infrastructure.

GVA’s Carl Potter, who is leading the process, said: “This is a very specific and interesting project for the right partner who wants to enter into a long term relationship with the University. There are a growing number of developers and funders who are seeking opportunities such as this which enables development to fulfil a clear long term vision and purpose.

“The site is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the innovation which is already underway within this sector and which requires a real estate solution to continue its growth.”

The Life Sciences Park will align with the broader sector expertise already present in the region, with some 22,000 people employed at 600 companies across the West Midlands.

The uniquely co-located site will utilise the unrivalled healthcare infrastructure of Birmingham Health Partners, the Institute of Translational Medicine and BioHub Birmingham, alongside other centres of research and practice excellence located in close proximity to the site.

Dr Steve Taylor, Director of Strategy and Operations at Birmingham Life Sciences Park said: “The Park provides a fantastic opportunity for businesses to co-locate at the heart of our vibrant Birmingham Health Partners campus and work in partnership with our academic, clinical and patient community in order to accelerate new innovation into the clinic. The innovation space on the Park will bring together expertise in healthcare informatics, diagnostics, medical technologies and clinical trials to support the development and deployment of new precision therapies and diagnostics to deliver next-generation healthcare to our population and revolutionise approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.”

Following selection of a development partner, the Life Sciences Campus will undergo a phased delivery with a target for commencement of works in January 2020.

For more information please contact:

1. Emma McKinney, Communications Manager (Health Sciences), University of Birmingham, +44 (0) 121 414 6681, or contact the press office out of hours on +44 (0) 7789 921 165
2. Louise Stanley at Birmingham Health Partners/Birmingham Life Sciences Park, Communications & Engagement Manager, on 0121 414 6773
3. Carl Potter at GVA on 0121 609 8388
4. Daniel Hill or Tom Silk at Core Marketing on 0121 232 5000
5. Elizabeth Bartlett, GVA, Head of Communications, on 07769 741516

• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 5,000 international students from over 150 countries.
• GVA offers the country’s leading and most diverse real estate advisory service. With its in-depth understanding of the market, supported by a leading research capability, GVA advises private businesses and the public sector on the whole real estate lifecycle - offering clients a service that spans the entire property lifecycle from strategy and planning, through to delivery and management. GVA has 15 offices in the UK, headquarters in London and 1,500 staff around the UK. GVA is an independent group under the ownership of EQT Partners. 
• Birmingham Health Partners is a strategic alliance between the University of Birmingham and two NHS Foundation Trusts – Birmingham Women’s & Children’s, and University Hospitals Birmingham. Through collaboration, its members work to bring healthcare innovations to clinical application.