Life sciences sector expands in Liverpool

Sci-Tech Daresbury is at the heart of ambitious plans for Liverpool City Region’s Investment Zone and Liverpool City Region mayor, Steve Rotheram, said that the region’s new Investment Zone will supercharge health and life sciences and create 8,000 jobs.

A joint venture between Langtree, Halton Borough Council and the Science and Technology Facilities Council, Sci-Tech Daresbury hosts over 150 high-tech businesses, of which 50 are health and life sciences businesses. It is also the location of the UK’s most powerful supercomputer dedicated to industrial R&D and is already home to the NW HealthTech Cluster.

All of the details regarding the Life Sciences Investment Zone plans are set out in a new prospectus highlighting the area’s innovation strengths and assets, while showcasing the projects that will create new hi-tech facilities, provide business and innovation support, and train the next generation of talent.

The Investment Zone support will help towards plans to increase workforce at the campus from 2,000 to around 10,000 over the next 15 to 20 years.

Along with Sci-Tech Daresbury, the focus is on the progress of 20 other projects including the Knowledge Quarter in Liverpool, and schemes in Maghull and St Helens to create new hi-tech facilities while training the next generation of talent. Other projects will drive breakthroughs in children’s health, mental health, vaccine production, therapeutics, and the use of data and artificial intelligence to help people lead healthier lives.

A total of 21 projects were highlighted, led by the latest major development being delivered at Sci-Tech Daresbury. The campus is expanding its Violet series of buildings, bringing a further c.80,000 sq ft of real estate to the North’s science and innovation offer in the form of two new three-storey buildings.

Rotheram said: “With up to £800m of investment and thousands of high-skilled jobs on offer, the Liverpool City Region Innovation Zone is an important tool in our arsenal to position our area at the head of UK science and innovation.”

John Downes, chief executive officer of Langtree and chairman of Sci-Tech Daresbury said: “Liverpool City Region has made incredibly impressive strides in the knowledge economy, with life sciences and healthcare becoming particular strengths. The centre of gravity is shifting towards highly competitive locations, with a critical mass of skills, relevant scientific partners, access to funding and facilities, and where there is room to grow and the potential of a home for life.”

The Investment Zone plans were developed in collaboration with the city region’s life sciences sector, with the University of Liverpool playing a major role and identifying around £200m of related investment.

Speke Pharma Cluster is one of Europe’s largest biomanufacturing centres, containing the UK’s biggest vaccine facility, and is home to some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical names including CSL Seqirus and AstraZeneca, which recently announced a £450m investment in its Speke facility.

University of Liverpool vice chancellor, Tim Jones, said: “We are a global university, delivering world-leading research but with a keen focus on our civic role in the city and wider region.

“We look forward to playing a vital role in the delivery of these ambitious plans, which will result in meaningful research that will have real-world impact.”

Liverpool City Region portfolio holder for digital and innovation, Paul Stuart, said: “The Investment Zone has the potential to transform the city region’s health and life sciences sector by growing our world-leading strengths and tapping into our innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.”