Land deal for multi-million pound University of Birmingham life sciences park
A multi-million pound life sciences park has moved a step closer to reality after university bosses completed the deal for almost 10 acres of land.
The University of Birmingham has purchased a site at Battery Park in Selly Oak for the base which will specialise in researching and developing healthcare technologies to improve patient care.
Birmingham Life Sciences Park will include research and commercial facilities, which the university says will 'bring together new and existing partners to drive innovation and help to reinforce the city’s reputation as a leader in the life sciences field'.
Investment from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and support from Birmingham City Council has allowed work to begin.
University bosses say that being located close to its Edgbaston campus, the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham Women’s Hospital will bring 'centres of research and practice excellence all within close proximity'.
Vice-chancellor professor Sir David Eastwood said: ‘This is a landmark step for our dynamic regional collaboration in life sciences and enhances our essential infrastructure enabling great advances in the way we tackle global healthcare challenges.
"We are already tackling cancer, chronic and rare diseases, mental health, trauma, and antibiotic resistance and making significant progress in this area, bringing real benefits to our communities locally and around the world.
"I look forward to working with our partners over the next few years to ensure we sustain momentum in this area."
Leader of Birmingham City Council, John Clancy said: “The Battery Park development is part of an exciting period of regeneration for Birmingham as the city reinforces its position as a leading player in the life sciences sector.
“The life sciences park to be built here will complement the recently opened Institute of Transitional Medicine and help to transform Birmingham into a global hub for medical research.
“This is a fine example of partnership working, bringing together the City Council, the University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver something that will create jobs and wealth for the economy and, crucially, develop new healthcare technologies for improved patient care.”
Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, Chair of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a fantastic step forward for Birmingham and the wider region, demonstrating the expanding and excellent ability within our diverse demographic to deliver the very best in translational research.
“This will ultimately deliver better treatments and care to patients, not just locally but worldwide.”
Chief executive of Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sarah-Jane Marsh, said: “The development of the life science park provides us with a unique opportunity to further develop world class translational research in Birmingham, which will ultimately lead to better outcomes, and improve the quality of life for thousands of women, children and families across our region and beyond.”
