Doors open at Citylabs 4.0
The £42m, 125,000 sq ft development was delivered by GMI Construction for partners Bruntwood SciTech and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
Citylabs 4.0, the latest addition to the health-led innovation district around Oxford Road, was supported by a loan from the North West Evergreen Fund, managed by CBRE.
GMI led the build of the Sheppard Robson-designed development, with local teams also working on the project including Arup, Hilson Moran, Gardiner & Theobald and Layer Studio.
The seven-storey building provides a mix of high-specification office and laboratory space, including containment level 1 and level 2 biology and chemistry labs, designed to support businesses of all sizes working in life sciences, medtech, biotech, diagnostics, genomics, precision medicine, AI and digital health.
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The partners said that the opening of Citylabs 4.0 builds on momentum in the area as Manchester’s life sciences strength grows.
Already, the campus is home to global operators such as QIAGEN, which has a centre of excellence at Citylabs 2.0, APIS Assay Technologies, ophthalmic instrument manufacturer Takagi and MAC Clinical Research.
Citylabs 4.0 features communal breakout spaces and access to wider campus amenities, including meeting and event spaces, cafe, secure cycle storage, showers and kit drying rooms.
GMI’s build programme achieved net zero carbon in construction and operation in its shared spaces and the building is 100% electric. The building holds an EPC A rating.
Dr Kath Mackay, chief scientific officer for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Citylabs 4.0 is a significant milestone in the continued evolution of Manchester’s world-leading life sciences ecosystem. The campus has already played a crucial role in supporting pioneering healthcare businesses to scale and work in direct collaboration with the NHS, and this latest development further cements its position as a location for scientific breakthroughs and innovation.
“By bringing together industry and the NHS we’re creating a collaborative environment where innovation can thrive, ultimately leading to real-world healthcare advancements that will benefit patients across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Bruntwood SciTech it itself a joint venture between Bruntwood, L8G and GMPF.
Mark Cubbon, chief executive at MFT, said: “The opening of Citylabs 4.0 represents an exciting new chapter in our pioneering partnership with Bruntwood SciTech. By co-locating life sciences businesses within the NHS services at our Oxford Road campus, we are creating an environment where research and innovation can rapidly translate into real-world healthcare solutions for our patients and communities in Greater Manchester, and beyond.
“Over the past decade, we’ve seen first-hand the transformative impact of collaboration between industry, academia, and the NHS. We look forward to welcoming more innovators to Citylabs 4.0 as we work together to reduce health inequalities, tackle the most pressing health challenges of our time, and respond to the Government’s challenge of making Britain a powerhouse for life sciences and medical technology.”
Bruntwood SciTech said that it has welcomed more than 140 new and expanding companies across its Manchester and Cheshire innovation hubs in the past year. Citylabs 4.0 is part of a £243m investment programme underway in the region by the business.
