Wellcome Genome Campus chiefs creating huge global township for Science & Technology community
Robert Evans, CEO, Wellcome Genome Campus has revealed to Business Weekly the full and impressive scale of a development that will revolutionise Cambridge and UK research and wow the world.
The Wellcome Genome Campus is already a globally recognised, established research hub but is now expanding for the future to support the UK's position as a world leader in science and technology.
Evans says that over the next few years, the Campus will increase in size from 125 acres to 440 acres, “to accommodate a growing community of leading institutes, companies and organisations in genomics, biodata, health data, translation and data science.”
The expansion builds on the international standing and achievements of the Wellcome Sanger Institute and EMBL-EBI and the Government’s plans for a new Health Data Research Service (HDRS).
Evans says: “Technology, data, and AI are revolutionising life sciences, presenting new ways to tackle some of humanity’s greatest challenges. We want to provide the facilities, infrastructure and environment to attract and support the brightest minds in grasping these opportunities. Expansion means new research and innovation, collaboration and commercial endeavours, to discover new science and improve lives for everyone.
“The approved plans include 1.6 million square feet for R & D, laboratories and commercial spaces, suitable for organisations of all shapes and sizes. The new space could accommodate up to 250 organisations, or even more, depending on their size.
“The plans also include 1500 homes, for Campus workers and their families, new retail and food and drink, sports, health and fitness uses, a nursery, primary school, play area and other community facilities - all connected by new, inclusive routes and civic spaces, parks, gardens and bridges; and connected to new microgrid power and ambient loop heating networks, with photovoltaics, heat pumps, battery storage, EV charging and other technologies providing resilient and affordable energy and shifting the Campus towards carbon net zero.
“As part of these changes, we plan to progressively take the existing barriers and gates away, to open our Campus to everyone.”
The first phase will include 140,000 sq ft of flexible, lab-enabled space plus new incubator and accelerator spaces, to provide a launchpad for start-up and smaller companies. It will also include 83 new one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes, designed with Passivhaus principles, for Campus workers to rent, a new health and fitness club, an energy farm to provide heat and power, two bridges over the A1301, new landscaping and a children’s play area.
The health and fitness club will feature a swimming pool, gym, climbing wall, fitness studios, and a café. Membership will be open to everyone.
For the uninitiated, the core principles of Passivhaus are: high-quality insulation, airtight construction, thermal bridge-free design, high-performance windows, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
The team Wellcome Sanger has hired to fashion the revolutionary Campus is suitably strong: Gensler has designed the new first lab-enabled spaces. Wellcome is also working with Allies and Morrison on the masterplan and Gillingham Bell on the retail, dining and leisure opportunities. Included in the blueprint.
“We are currently finalising the first construction contracts and will announce shortly the identity of our main contractors. We are about to start on site with our first new buildings, so it is a very exciting time,” Evans reveals.
The new Thornton building (for EMBL-EBI) and a landscaped park area were delivered earlier this year, on the existing Campus. Wellcome is now gearing up for the first new buildings on the expansion land in 2028 and will be breaking ground very soon, as well as preparing for the bridgeworks to connect the two sides of the growing Campus, Evans reveals. “The whole expansion project may take around 10 years, depending on a number of factors including Government support for life sciences and market demand,” Evans adds.
A programme of upgrades to the A1301 including a new cycle/pedestrian path from the Campus to North End Road, completing the link up to the A505, was recently completed and Evans says the organisation continues to run coaches and shuttle buses for staff and visitors and these connect the Campus to local railway stations and the places where Campus staff live.
Evans adds: “From 2028, Campus workers will have the choice of living at our new housing, just a short walk and/or cycle away from their place of work, which may be on the expansion land or the existing Campus. The Campus will be connected by two new pedestrian bridges over the A1301.
“The Campus also needs public transport. We will be working with central and local Government, the Mayor and others to make the case. In our view, it is regrettable and a missed opportunity that the planned CSET does not come to the Campus. In our view, it still could and should.
“Wellcome is undertaking one of the largest contemporary investments in the UK’s life sciences and technology infrastructure, committing hundreds of millions at a time when others appear to be stepping back.
Separately, there is further investment by the Government and Wellcome Trust together, of up to £600 million, in the new Health Data Research Centre, which will be located at the Campus. The total investment in Campus expansion and its pace will depend on a number of factors including Government support for life sciences and market demand.
“For the local community, we hope to deliver a welcoming and open place, a destination with great facilities and services, indoor and outdoor, that local people can use and enjoy. We want local people to use the health and fitness club, the cafés and restaurants, the nursery, play areas, the parks, gardens and sports pitches. We also hope to build their engagement with and support for, a science and technology cluster with global impact.
“We want our new residents to be part of this thriving local community, with a strong local economy, employment and skills opportunities and, we hope, better access to public transport.
“For the UK, this project represents important investment and support for our position as a world leader in science and technology. The Campus is already established and world-renowned. This is about growing its science ecosystem to grasp the opportunities presented by technology, data, and AI, which are revolutionising life sciences.
“We want to provide the facilities, infrastructure and environment to attract and support the brightest minds engaged in new research and innovation, collaboration and commercial endeavours. We expect to welcome thousands of new science, research, and technology professionals from the UK and beyond in the years ahead. The Wellcome Genome Campus will give them the platform to discover new science, tackle some of humanity’s greatest challenges and improve lives for everyone.”
With sustainability in mind, it should be added that the plans will integrate existing historic buildings, parklands and wetlands, creating a unique environment where people can live, work, learn and collaborate.
The economic benefits are also huge. Evans says the expansion is expected to create significant employment opportunities.
Once complete, the new Campus is likely to accommodate between 7,000 and 9,000 people, potentially more - and up from around 3,000 today. These jobs will span research and translation, data science, commercial operations and supporting services.
Jobs will be created at the new food and drink, sport, health and community facilities, Evans adds. The construction and development phase will also support jobs across design, engineering and building trades.
About Robert Evans
Robert Evans is the Chief Executive Officer at Wellcome Genome Campus. Before joining Wellcome Genome Campus, Robert spent 23 years with Argent/Related Argent, serving as joint managing partner of Argent and CEO of the 67-acre King’s Cross Estate. There, he oversaw the vision, planning, delivery, and execution of one of the world’s most successful examples of urban redevelopment and regeneration. Some 40,000 people now live, work, or study at King’s Cross, including pupils at the King’s Cross Academy School, which he helped establish and continues to support as a trustee. Evans is the co-author of a book about ‘The Making of a Masterplan’ at King’s Cross, with Bob Allies, Graham Morrison, and Demetri Porphyrios.
During his time at Argent/Related Argent, Evans also led or contributed to projects at Tottenham Hale and Brent Cross town in London and other projects in Birmingham (Brindleyplace and Paradise Circus) and Manchester (Piccadilly Gardens and others).
Evans also serves as a non-executive director of the leading planning firm, Quod and is a member of the committee that organises the Joint Planning Law Conference (JPLC) in Oxford.
Senior leadership team
The senior leadership team at Wellcome Genome Campus also includes Colette O’Shea (COO) and Matt Green (CFO). O’Shea was previously chief operating officer at Landsec, where she spent 20 years creating some of London’s most recognisable and successful developments. Green was chief financial officer of The Office Group (TOG and Fora), where he oversaw group expansion over 13 years, delivering structure and scale in a fast-growth environment.
