Input sought for Leeds Innovation Village
Leeds Teaching Hospitals has launched a market engagement exercise to engage with potential investors, developers, and occupiers to speed up progress at the 30-acre health-tech hub.
Alongside Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the NHS Trust is looking to pursue alternative delivery models outside of NHS budgets to bring forward the new clinical buildings and hospitals.
The hope for the Innovation Village is it will be a go-to destination for science, research, technology, and innovation and forms the centrepiece of the wider Leeds Innovation Arc – a 370-acre area with anchor institutions including the Trust, the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, and private sector employers.
The Innovation Village is expected to create development potential of 1.5m sq ft.
The engagement project will be completed by the end of the year and following this, a masterplan will be created of short- and medium-term development opportunities.
LCC will also develop guidance for the Innovation Village, to aid the planning process.
Scarborough Group is already working on the Old Medical School, a key part of the Innovation Village. The 75,000 sq ft grade two-listed building will become a healthtech innovation hub by 2027.
The initiatives also maintain momentum for the new hospital and regeneration of Leeds city centre after national funding was delayed until 2030.
A new report from CBRE describes Leeds as ‘a prime opportunity for open innovation and clustering’, and found that Leeds was ‘the best-positioned location’ in West Yorkshire to develop a robust life sciences cluster with momentum driven by strengths in medtech.
But the report also highlighted a lack of ‘grow-on’ space needed to support scalability, collaboration, talent attraction, and economic growth.
Leeds is ranked third internationally as a healthtech hub – a critical part of the life sciences sector – and is home to 144 healthtech companies with combined turnover of £1.6bn, according to Health Innovation Leeds.
Professor Phil Wood, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Leeds is transforming ageing healthcare infrastructure into opportunity through our exceptionally strong partnerships across the region.
“With the invaluable support of Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, we’re excited to be driving forward the Innovation Village at this pivotal time.
“Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to delivering world-class healthcare and our approach to harnessing innovation means we can bring clinicians, academics, and private sector partners together to introduce the latest medical advancements to patients and address health inequalities.
“By pursuing alternative delivery models, we’re seeking to bring forward urgent healthcare improvements while creating significant social and economic benefits, which aligns perfectly with the government’s vision for our NHS and the UK’s future health and prosperity.”
West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin said: “The Leeds Innovation Arc is central to West Yorkshire’s Local Growth Plan and our ambitions to create a more prosperous region that works for all.”
Ed Whiting, chief executive of Leeds City Council said: “Our ambition remains clear: to make Leeds a globally recognised centre for innovation, one that not only drives economic prosperity but also delivers measurable and meaningful impact towards a healthier, greener, and more inclusive future for all.
“Leeds is already a major force in powering Yorkshire’s healthtech revolution, and this commitment from key partners in the city, along with ourselves to exploring innovative funding alongside the market engagement exercise for the Innovation Village, signals a further dynamic approach to strengthening our healthcare infrastructure and driving economic growth.”
