Kadans Science Partner and the University of Glasgow, supported by Scottish Enterprise, have kick-started the development of their planned health innovation hub in Govan, Glasgow.
The move comes after the scheme’s designs, created by Hawkins\Brown with HarrisonStevens and WSP, were approved by the local council last month.
Initial plans for the £38m, four-storey research and development facility were given the green light last year, but full consent depended on whether the building’s appearance would be sympathetic to the surrounding area.
James Sheppard, managing director at Kadans, said the delay between getting planning approval and starting on the site had been longer than anticipated. “Govan is probably one of the most deprived areas of the city, maybe even the country, so we decided to have a proper community engagement to explain what we were trying to achieve here.
“Before we started on the ground, we wanted to ensure that everything was in place and that we had the support of the local community so that we could move forward without any major objections.”
Sheppard also noted that the scheme had not been immune to the wider macroeconomic headwinds, with yields in Scotland moving “much like in the rest of the markets”.
He said: “The inflation rate has obviously had an impact. There’s no way of getting away from that. We have taken our time from the planning to this point to make sure that the specifications of the building are right, and that the contractor [Morrison Construction] has a suitable supply chain, because once the building starts no one wants work to stop. It’s challenging, but we’re lucky to have a good set of partners to bring this building forward.”
The development will provide 64,583 sq ft of medical research laboratory space and offices. It will also have a large open atrium, with the ground floor targeted at smaller companies while larger companies are expected to occupy the rest of the building.
Sheppard said: “It is 100% speculative and we don’t have any tenants on board at the moment, with the exception of the digital health validation lab. So, there is plenty of opportunity for new tenants to come into the space.
“We have seen a lot of activity in Glasgow over the last couple of years from home-grown companies, which is giving us confidence that we won’t be left with an empty building. The university has an active incubator, called the Clinical Innovation Zone. There are a few companies in there that are doing very well and are on the precipice of raising money and looking for additional space.
“Our new building will serve multiple purposes and one of those is to provide grow-on space for prospective tenants.”
The health hub forms part of a flagship investment within the university’s Glasgow Riverside innovation district. It will be home to commercial businesses as well as the University of Glasgow-led living laboratory for precision medicine – a programme supported by UKRI Strength in Places Funding which focuses on translating research and healthcare innovation into a clinical setting.
Iain McInnes, University of Glasgow vice-principal and head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, said: “The facilities created here will be key to the ecosystem that brings together academics, industry partners and the NHS. The health innovation hub will be a catalyst for collaboration and innovation to better tackle global healthcare challenges, bringing benefits to patients and the NHS.”
The development is set for completion in mid-2025.
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