Edinburgh University, NHS Lothian, the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Enterprise are on the hunt for a developer to bring forward a £1bn biomedical scheme on the edge of the city.
Edinburgh BioQuarter is a 167-acre site three miles south of Edinburgh city centre that currently comprises an innovation centre, Edinburgh Medical School, several of the University of Edinburgh’s research institutes and the 900-bed Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
The consortium wants to redevelop the site as a £1bn Health Innovation District, a new mixed-use neighbourhood, including commercial labs and offices as well as residential housing, cafes, bars, restaurants, hotel, retail and leisure. It is now seeking a partner to invest in and accelerate plans for 61-acres of developable land at the site. So far more than £500m of capital has been invested at BioQuarter, with a further £330m planned for the next five years for buildings, infrastructure, and specialist equipment.
Ivan McKee, Scotland’s minister for trade, investment and innovation, said: “There has never been a greater spotlight on life sciences and Edinburgh BioQuarter is already proving to be a world-class location at the heart of this industry.
“The planned expansion of the BioQuarter into a vibrant community centred around the sector is undoubtedly one of the most exciting investment and collaborative opportunities available. It will have far-reaching benefits for investors, local communities and global health innovators alike, which will be all the more important as we plan our economic recovery from Covid-19.”
Edinburgh BioQuarter interim programme director Anna Stamp added: “The commercial life sciences, data-driven health innovation and biomedical sectors are crucial to the global economy. BioQuarter is one of very few locations in Europe which offers the combination of globally ranked academic and clinical research at scale with the space to accommodate a large cluster of commercial companies and associated services, as well as residential housing to create a vibrant community.”
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