Work is underway on the first phase of a £60 million extension at Manchester's Citylabs campus.

Citylabs 2.0, a 92,000 sq ft development, was designed by architects Sheppard Robson and will be delivered by Sir Robert McAlpine under a £22 million contract.

The project is being delivered via a Joint Venture partnership between Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2020.

It has already been 100% pre-let to global molecular diagnostics company QIAGEN and will become its European Hub for Diagnostics Development. QIAGEN's expansion and relocation from their existing base at Manchester Science Park will see them become the anchor industrial partner in the global genomics campus.

Citylabs 2.0 is surrounded by the Manchester Royal Infirmary, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Saint Mary's Hospital and Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and will build on the success of Citylabs 1.0 which has been fully let since its completion in 2015 and has already showcased a unique new way of collaborative working between industry, academia and clinicians.

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Manchester's new genomics campus will create more than 1,500 high value jobs over the next decade, adding over £150m to the city region's economy. It will positively impact the lives of over three million people by providing access to new diagnostics and more targeted treatments through pioneering research, and will see these products and services adopted into the city's health service at a much faster rate. 


Tom Renn, Managing Director of Manchester Science Partnerships, said: "We're delighted to have appointed Sir Robert McAlpine as the main contractor on this project and to be announcing the start of works on Citylabs 2.0 with our Joint Venture partner, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

"This is an important milestone in our journey to create a world-leading precision medicine campus in Manchester, strengthening the region's standing as a global centre of excellence in life sciences and diagnostics, bringing real health benefits to millions of people, and supporting the creation of thousands of high-quality jobs.

"We look forward to supporting our long-standing customer QIAGEN as they continue with their ongoing growth and expand into Citylabs 2.0 once it completes at the end of 2020. We're incredibly proud to be working with QIAGEN and be part of the partnership which is creating a globally-leading genomics hub in Manchester, and look forward to working with other life sciences and medtech businesses as they join our cluster at Citylabs."


Simon Trevor, Central, Wales & West Regional Managing Director for Sir Robert McAlpine, said: "We look forward to working with Manchester Science Partnerships on the extension of the Citylabs campus. Building on 150 years of technical excellence and innovation, we take pride in delivering complex projects that make a positive impact on communities and leave a lasting legacy, such as this state-of-the-art medical facility."

(CM/MH)