Plans have been unveiled for The London Cancer Hub, a state-of-the-art cancer research and laboratory hub to be located in South London, UK.
Insurance company Aviva’s investment arm and property developer Socius have submitted a planning application for the space, which will cost around £1bn, to the London Borough of Sutton.
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The new development will sit on a 12-acre plot in Sutton, nestled between the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and one of The Royal Marsden’s sites. The ICR has played a pivotal role in advancing cancer research, being the research institute responsible for linking cigarette use to lung cancer.
The Royal Marsden is one of the leading hospitals in Europe for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care.
The London Cancer Hub is expected to complement the cancer expertise already in Sutton. AVIVA and Socius hope to entice leading life sciences companies and promote collaboration with academic researchers and clinicians to drive innovation in cancer research.
The new buildings will range from large-scale facilities for bigger pharmaceutical and life science companies, to smaller, flexible lab and incubator spaces to cater for start-ups. There will also be space for wet labs, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facilities, specialist equipment, and office space.
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By GlobalDataIn addition, a total of 3,000 new jobs will be created by the new hub, mainly in high-skilled R&D and small-scale manufacturing related to life sciences.
The ICR welcomed the news, with the institute’s chief executive Professor Kristian Helin commenting: “We’re very pleased to be working with Aviva Capital Partners and Socius on plans to further build the thriving multidisciplinary research district in Sutton, and we’re hoping that the project will attract a range of companies to locate here alongside us, as well as provide a home for companies that spin out from our science in the future.
“The London Cancer Hub has great potential to enhance our scientific partnerships with companies in the pharmaceutical and broader life-sciences industries, in areas from the discovery and development of new cancer drugs to the creation of new treatment and diagnostic technologies.”
Mayor and government initiative
The London Cancer Hub was included as a key district for growth as part of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s growth plan for the capital. The plan is a blueprint for spurring growth in London, to make its economy £107bn larger in 2035.
The London Cancer Hub will also contribute to the plan’s goal of creating over 150,000 jobs by 2028. The new hub is one of many “innovation clusters” being developed across the city, such as Canary Wharf Life Sciences and Healthcare, The Knowledge Quarter, and Olympic Park Innovation District, among others.
Pharmaceutical Technology has visited both the Canary Wharf cluster and University College London’s (UCL) site at the Olympic Park, where incumbents showed a clear focus on government plans to bolster the UK life sciences sector.
Last month, the UK Government announced almost £14bn in funding for research & development (R&D) in life sciences. Life sciences is one of eight growth sectors being targeted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of his “Plan For Change”.
