Willmott Dixon has been appointed as main contractor on the £60 m Greenheys development at Manchester Science Park for Bruntwood SciTech.
It will now start constructing a facility that it says will enhance Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor knowledge quarter as a hub for life sciences and technology innovation, for a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General, and Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Scheduled for completion in Summer 2026, Greenheys will span 131,000 ft2 across six floors, and – Willmott Dixon Willmott says – will ‘redefine the landscape of specialised laboratory spaces for diagnostics, genomics, biotech, and precision medicine businesses’.
Occupying three floors at Greenheys will be the future HQ for UK Biobank, the world’s most comprehensive source of health data for research. Its new laboratory space will boast ‘cutting-edge facilities’ – including the latest-generation robotic freezer capable of storing and retrieving up to 20 million biological samples four times faster than current standards.
Supported by the University of Manchester, the new building will put UK Biobank near leading institutions operating across research, academia, business, and the NHS.
Greenheys will also offer specialist CL2 labs with supporting office space. Advanced technical features will include increased vibration resistance, piped gas distribution systems, enhanced cooling and ventilation systems, high-security access, and 100 GB ‘superfast’ connectivity. Built to ‘BREEAM Excellent standards, the development will reportedly be the UK’s first lab space to be 100% electric and Net Zero carbon in construction and operation in its shared spaces.
Sam Darby, Development director, Bruntwood SciTech, said: “We are delighted to have Willmott Dixon on board for the Greenheys development. Its expertise aligns strongly with our vision for creating a facility that will serve as a catalyst for innovation in the life sciences sector, and become one of the UK’s most advanced and specialist life science spaces. With Willmott Dixon’s commitment to quality and sustainability, we are confident that together we will deliver a world-class facility that meets the needs of the scientific community, and contributes positively to the Manchester region.”
Samantha Welsh, head of Laboratory at UK Biobank, added: “I’m excited that construction has started on the site, bringing our brand new headquarters one step closer. The new facility’s lab and robotic freezer will allow us to meet the growing demand for our millions of unique biological samples, enabling scientists worldwide to make great leaps forward in health and disease research.”
