Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) is a world-leading science park of global significance and home to the largest cluster of cell and gene therapy companies in Europe, including the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult Manufacturing Centre.

Occupiers of the SBC campus have raised almost £1bn of investment, of which around 60% has been invested into cell and gene therapy companies. Some of these growing companies are looking to expand their premises at SBC.

To help meet this demand, Hertfordshire LEP is supporting the development of the new ‘Spark Building’ to provide interim laboratory and office space, while more permanent accommodation is developed nearby.

Why
The development of Hertfordshire’s internationally significant sectors is a cornerstone of our Strategic Economic Plan. With life sciences being one of the county's internationally significant sectors, Hertfordshire LEP has approved up to £12m from the Local Growth Fund to develop essential infrastructure to support scientific research within the county.

As part of this wider package, the Spark Building will provide accommodation to facilitate business growth, helping strengthen the UK’s sectoral advantage and Hertfordshire’s position within the Oxford-London-Cambridge golden research triangle.

Funding
Hertfordshire LEP invested £1.2m from the Local Growth Fund into this project.

"SBC has made a huge contribution to the rapid clustering of world-class corporate and academic research excellence in Stevenage. To date, we have already approved up to £12m from the Local Growth Fund to develop essential infrastructure to support scientific research and we anticipate further opportunities to support the cluster." - Paul Witcombe, Head of Enterprise & Innovation

This project was approved by the board on the 20th June 2019.