Hakim Yadi, chief executive of the Northern Health Science Alliance, responded to the report issued by MedCity today forecasting a shortage of lab space in London.

He said: “The North has invested heavily in wet lab space and has an abundance of available low-cost space for companies looking to work in close proximity to leading hospitals and universities such as the stellar facilities at Alderley Park near Manchester, City Labs in the centre of Manchester, NETpark and the Wilton Centre in Durham and Teesside, and the new Liverpool Science Park among many other centres.

“With excellent transport links set to be improved with HS2, an excellent infrastructure and significant government investment through the Northern Powerhouse, the North is cost-effective and offers a high standard of living.

“Instead of looking to build more in an already over-crowded expensive South East, the current availability of wet lab space offers a distinct opportunity for people to set up and conduct their R&D and manufacturing in the North. The North already exports over £8.1bn of medicinal and pharmaceutical products per year.”

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