UK Biobank begins fit-out at 131,000 sq ft Greenheys

Specialist freezers are the first round of equipment to be installed in preparation for the summer arrival of the biomedical research company at Bruntwoood SciTech’s £60m Greenheys Building in Manchester Science Park.

UK Biobank will have access to three floors of fully fitted, specialist laboratories and write-up areas, spanning between 2,100 sq ft and 21,000 sq ft.

Bruntwood SciTech’s Greenheys Building covers 131,000 sq ft.

The fit-out will begin with the installation of a freezer system, to be delivered by Hamilton Company.

The move will support deeper collaboration between UK Biobank and Bruntwood SciTech’s regional partners, including The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

Each of these institutions lies within the Oxford Road Corridor and benefits from the other due to the student population and a range of transferable skills across sectors.

In addition, the scheme will accelerate a new wave of projects by increasing the speed and efficiency of sample retrieval, four times faster than the current capacity, according to the firm.

Enhanced cooling ventilation systems, air source heat pumps, fume extraction, and rooftop solar panels will all be employed site-wide.

UK Biobank is currently based in Stockport and has been collecting genomic data since 2006. It will now relocate to create a new home for the 20m estimated biological samples in its possession.

Half of Biobank UK’s 350 staff members are to be based in the Greenheys Building once complete.

BDP has designed the future home of UK Biobank. Credit: via Citypress

Dr Kath Mackay, chief scientific officer at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “With UK Biobank now starting work on its fit-out, we’re entering an exciting phase where Greenheys is really taking shape and the wider vision is coming to life.

“Greenheys has been purposefully designed to give ambitious science and innovation businesses the environment they need to grow, collaborate, and thrive.

“UK Biobank is a fantastic anchor, and we’re now looking forward to welcoming more pioneering organisations into the ecosystem at Greenheys and across Manchester Science Park.”

The Greenheys Building is expected to be designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent and an EPC A rating.

Shared spaces, a host-managed reception, on-site food and coffee facilities, and relaxed breakout spaces with soft seating are to be added to the project during the fit-out.

UK Biobank’s move has been backed by £127.6m from UK Research and Innovation.

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Professor Sir Rory Collins, principal investigator and chief executive at UK Biobank, added: “The completion of UK Biobank’s new headquarters now feels tangibly close.

“Alongside the fit-out of the office, our automated freezers are currently being installed, paving the way for our move to the site in 2026.

“This new central Manchester site will allow UK Biobank to strengthen our collaborations with the University of Manchester, and foster new relationships with life science organisations, spanning diagnostics, genomics, biotech, and precision medicine.

“The accelerated public health discoveries that will result from this move would not be possible without the generous funding from UKRI.”

UK Biobank’s move has been backed by £127.6m from UK Research and Innovation. Credit: Bruntwood SciTech

The team working on the Greenheys project includes Willmott Dixon, BDP, DW Consulting, Silcock Leedham, Walker Sime, East Coast Construction & Regeneration, NX Consulting, and I Want Plants.

Track Real Estate is the retained agent.