The biopharmaceutical industry has become one of the fastest growing sectors globally, and nowhere is this more evident than around Cambridge, UK. The combination of the world-renowned Cambridge University, cutting-edge research organisations, established pharmaceutical giants including Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Bayer and the highly regarded Addenbrook’s Hospital has led to the development of a major science and technology hub in the region. In turn, this hub continues to attract early stage and start-up biopharma and life science businesses from all over the world.
Facilities like the Cambridge Science Park, established in 1970, have long been instrumental in attracting biotech and pharmaceutical firms. The park boasts a range of state-of-the-art wet and dry labs, office space, and other infrastructure crucial for biopharma research. Other significant developments include the Babraham Research Campus, Granta Park, and Chesterford Research Park. Each offers a blend of office space, wet labs—specially equipped laboratories for biological and chemical research—and dry labs, which support computational and theoretical work.
Despite these existing facilities, demand continues to outstrip supply, largely due to the influx of new companies, the expansion of existing firms, and the long lead times required for new facilities to be constructed. The shortage is further exacerbated by Cambridge’s geographical constraints.
According to Bidwells' Summer 2024 Cambridgeshire Databook, there is a striking gap between demand and supply for new laboratory space. As of mid-2024, occupiers in the biopharma and related life science sectors were searching for approximately 690,000 square feet of lab space, versus only 128,400 square feet of availability. This shortage represents a significant challenge for companies aiming to establish or expand their presence in Cambridge, leading to heightened competition and the risk of slowing innovation.
The availability of high-quality lab space around Cambridge has been a concern for several years, but Bidwells’ latest data shows the issue has reached a critical level. The result is fierce competition for the few available spaces, with some companies being forced to look further afield or delay their expansion plans. The scarcity of lab space is also playing a pivotal role in driving up prices, making it harder for early-stage companies to secure an affordable expansion.
There is, however, some positive news on the horizon. Several new facilities are currently under development which should help alleviate the short-term and medium-term pressures on Cambridge’s lab space. One of the largest developments is Phase 1 of the South Cambridge Science Centre which is set to complete in April 2025. This new facility will provide 138,000 square feet of flexible wet and dry lab space and is situated close to Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Other developments at sites like the Genome Campus, additional phases at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, redevelopment of the original 1-21 building cluster at Cambridge Science Park and further development phases at the South Cambridge Science Centre are all expected to add capacity over the next few years. However, these projects take considerable time, and the current bottleneck means that, for now, businesses will have to compete for a very limited amount of high-quality lab space.