LS&HC Horizons 2023 - Flipbook - Page 47
Hogan Lovells | 2023 Life Sciences and Health Care Horizons | ESG
47
Making up the UK lab shortage
There remains a shortage of life sciences and health care lab space in the UK compared to other
more established global markets. The UK Real Estate industry and its stakeholders have
a part to play in supporting the UK Government realize its ambition to make the UK a LS&HC
superpower and here’s how:
• Repurposing assets. Who? Investors
and developers. What? Post-pandemic,
certain asset classes have fallen into relative
obsolescence, where physical space is either
no longer needed through hybrid working
or reduced consumer (footfall) demand.
Opportunities? Retail, particularly, is
ripe for repurposing to LS&HC use given
the comparable space dimensions, floor
to ceiling height clearance and delivery
dynamics, and while LS&HC adaption will
require physical reconfiguration, it may
not need a complex planning consent for
change of use. Challenges? Cost (upfront
conversion), ESG (LS&HC use can be
environmentally tricky if mis-managed;
employment market leans towards
academia) and re-use (many LS&HC
occupiers require non-vanilla
(non-recyclable) fit outs).
Graham Cutts
Partner, London
• Delivering against a more relaxed
planning framework. Who? Local
Authorities and developers. What? Many
LS&HC activities can be accommodated
under the now broad Use Class E in UK
planning terms (commercial, business
and service use). Opportunities? Policy
alignment: the UK LS&HC 10-year sector
vision. Challenges? Careful application
of the framework required. While a change
of use consent may not be needed, LS&HC
use poses a different physical and often
moral use within an urban environment;
a seemingly easy “switch” may not be
uniformly appropriate for the surrounding
assets and infrastructure.
Benjamin Willis
Senior Associate, London
