Cambridge's life sciences cluster 'competing on world stage'

Seminar hears how around 20 per cent of Cambridge's existing 8 million sq ft of space is occupied by life sciences companies

The Golden Triangle Life Sciences Seminar event was held on 10 November to explore key trends in the life sciences sector and how these will impact on the future property development and investment within the ‘golden triangle’ of Cambridge, Oxford and London.

Speakers at the event were Doug Cuff, from BioMed Realty, which owns Granta Park; Dr Eulian Roberts, from Imperial College ThinkSpace; Jonathan Burroughs of Creative Places; and Saul Western, from Bidwells’ investment team.

An audience of around 100 heard how global pharmaceutical sales are projected to rise to a staggering $1.4trillion by 2019, reflecting the increasing healthcare demands of an ageing population in the developed world and overall global population growth, especially in developing countries. In the UK, the life sciences sector now has annual turnover in excess of £60billion.

Around 20 per cent of Cambridge’s existing stock of almost 8million sq ft is occupied by life sciences companies and there are now more than 350 companies in the biotechnology sector overall with a combined value of just under $4billion.

Dr Eulian Roberts is the CEO of Imperial College ThinkSpace and he spoke about the exciting projects taking place at Imperial College London’s White City Campus and the different approach they are taking for development with their partners as an open institution, including a focus on collaboration between the college’s academic community and commercial partners.

The event features in Cambridge Independent's Property edition, reproduced with permission.

Read the full article (PDF)