Sciontec selects Morgan Sindall to deliver £61m Hemisphere One
The joint venture development vehicle has chosen its preferred contractor for the 117,000 sq ft lab and workspace project in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter.
Sciontec Developments is the spinout development arm of KQ Liverpool, and is jointly owned by Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool City Council and Bruntwood SciTech.
It owns and operates Liverpool Science Park, Sciontec AI serviced space offices in The Spine and is bringing forward HEMISPHERE One and Two at Paddington Village, Liverpool’s City Council flagship development site, in KQ Liverpool.
Work on the main construction phase is expected to start in autumn. Worthington Owen and Avison Young have been appointed as agents.
Hemisphere One is part of a two-phase project, alongside Hemisphere Two, that will ultimately offer a combined net total 216,693 sq ft of chemistry labs, data labs, bio labs and innovation labs, alongside incubator space, grow-on and commercial lab space.
Procurement for Hemisphere Two will be managed via a separate tender process at a later date.
Morgan Sindall Construction will support Sciontec in refining technical designs and allowing for smooth transition into the construction phase of the project, which is expected to start on site in the autumn.
The appointment follows a competitive tender process coordinated through the North West Construction Hub High Value Framework.
Morgan Sindall previously delivered The Spine, a 160,000 sq ft commercial building which is home to the Royal College of Physicians, adjacent to this site.
Colin Sinclair, chief executive of Sciontec, said: “We are bringing HEMISPHERE One and Two forward to satisfy the rocketing demand for high-quality lab space in Liverpool city centre and support delivery of the city region’s Innovation Zone ambitions.
“The appointment of a trusted and experienced main contractor in Morgan Sindall allows us to now confidently move ahead with finalising the designs and commencing shell and core work over the coming months.
“While we are advancing with pre-let agreements, we also hope that this latest step forward will offer confidence to the wider market and future innovation occupiers that Liverpool can deliver excellent new developments at scale.”
Worthington Owen and Avison Young are retained as agents. Credit: Sciontec
Sciontec said it has already reached “outline letting agreements” prior to work starting at Hemisphere One. Earlier this year, the scheme was allocated a £13m funding package from the government.
This came through the Liverpool Strategic Futures Panel, and is joined by a £1.5m allocation from the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone, part of the government’s Investment Zone programme.
Steven Gregory, North West area director at Morgan Sindall, said: “It’s an honour to return to Paddington Village to help shape the latest transformational project within the Knowledge Quarter. This is an exciting time for the city region, with the Innovation Zone set to make it a life science powerhouse.
“As such, HEMISPHERE One is strategically important for the City Region and our wealth of experience when it comes to delivering high performance science and technology schemes means we are well placed to take this project forward. The exceptional facilities we will build will create the perfect environment for the exchange of knowledge and ideas, enabling world leading researchers and scientists to deliver work that will result in better patient outcomes.
“We will build on the legacy of our previous work here by continuing to collaborate with educational institutions, employment agencies, and the third sector, to deliver skills and employment opportunities to local communities and ensure this project leaves a lasting economic legacy in the area for decades to come.”
The Paddington Village development was enabled with the help of a £12m Liverpool City Region Combined Authority grant to pay for infrastructure work, including demolition and bringing services to the central 8.4 acres of the 30-acre site.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “The development of HEMISPHERE One isn’t just another building project – it’s a clear demonstration of our region’s determination to be at the forefront of global innovation and life sciences.
“This cutting-edge facility will not only house world-leading research but foster a culture of collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. By creating spaces where brilliant minds can come together, we are setting the stage for breakthrough discoveries that will benefit not only the Liverpool City Region but the world.
“As we continue to invest in the future, developments like HEMISPHERE One are clear demonstrations of our ambition: to make the Liverpool City Region the best place to grow a business, lead in health and technology, and drive forward the next generation of innovation.”
This has been a long time coming, will look great to re build on this part of our city
By John Lynn
This has been a long time in coming so can we please just get on with it, these images look promising but sounds like Hemisphere 2 won`t be on site for some time yet.
There are so many projects in Liverpool that seem to get talked about for years eg Pall Mall offices, Littlewoods Film Studios, Kings Dock, Cruise Liner Terminal and hotel, Garden Festival site, and so on, but it`s like pulling teeth with them and they move at an agonisingly slow pace, if at all.
By Anonymous