The Snowsfields Quarter Partnership has secured planning consent to deliver a major new life sciences hub in London.

The partnership, which is a joint venture between landowner Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation, Oxford Properties and Reef + Partners, intends to deliver 245,000 sq ft of specialist lab space in the heart of the SC1 Life Sciences Innovation District.

Located next to Guy’s Hospital, Snowsfields Quarter will provide approximately 360,000 sq ft of multi-functional space access three new buildings, including 245,000 sq ft of cutting-edge laboratory facilities for pioneering research in fields such as medical technology, genetics, and neuroscience.

Laurie Lee, chief executive of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation, said: “Snowsfields Quarter builds on the foundation’s long history of investing in the health in Southwark. The development will contribute to the growth and success of the wider SC1 Life Sciences Innovation District, while helping inspire and equip the next generation of scientists and health professionals. Snowsfields will be a place at the cutting edge of healthcare, creating inclusive growth as well as good quality jobs and improving lives locally, while driving groundbreaking research to improve health outcomes globally.”

Emma Downey, development director at Oxford Properties, added: “We welcome the committee’s unanimous decision to approve Snowsfields Quarter which will deliver world-class specialist laboratory space designed to meet the evolving needs of life sciences companies. These will offer flexible, future-ready facilities to support breakthroughs in medical technology, genetics, neuroscience and other specialist fields.

“As a long-term investor global investor, developer and operator in the life sciences sector, and, following our transformation of the iconic Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square into a world class workspace and contemporary laboratory facility, which is already home to leading life sciences organisations, we are delighted to be playing a role in strengthening London’s position as a global centre of excellence in health innovation.”

Peter Langly-Smith, managing director of Reef + Partners, said: “We’ve worked hard to design buildings that not only meet the technical demands of modern life sciences occupiers, but also respond sensitively to the local context. Community engagement has been central to the process with an extensive programme of events where we’ve listened and learned from local residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

“As a result, we made a range of positive changes to the plans, including reducing massing, enhancing green space, and introducing new cultural and community uses that will help make Snowsfields Quarter an inclusive and welcoming destination. We’re incredibly grateful to the local community for the time, thought and feedback they’ve shared throughout this process which has helped us to shape a better and more responsive development.”