The UK's life sciences property boom is spreading well beyond the traditional "Golden Triangle" of London, Oxford and Cambridge, with science parks in Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh attracting significant occupier and investor interest. Total lab space under development across the UK has reached 8.2 million sq ft, according to Bidwells, up from just 3.1 million sq ft three years ago.
Birmingham's Health Innovation Campus, a joint venture between the University of Birmingham and Bruntwood SciTech, has secured planning consent for a 400,000 sq ft expansion. In Manchester, the ID Manchester scheme adjacent to the university campus is delivering 600,000 sq ft of lab and innovation space, with strong pre-letting interest from biotech firms.
The broadening of the life sciences market reflects both the maturation of regional research clusters and the acute shortage of suitable space in the Golden Triangle, where vacancy rates for lab-enabled buildings are below 2 per cent. Occupiers are increasingly willing to locate in regional centres that offer access to university talent pipelines and lower operating costs.
Investors are responding accordingly. Life sciences property attracted £2.1 billion of UK investment in 2025, with yields for prime lab space compressing to sub-5 per cent in the strongest markets. The sector is now firmly established as a core allocation for institutional real estate portfolios.
