Industries & Sectors
Life Sciences Real Estate Services
Introduction
Cushman & Wakefield’s specialist Life Science team delivers customised, innovative real estate solutions for investors, developers, and occupiers across the United Kingdom’s thriving science and innovation sector, with a strong focus on the Golden Triangle. Our experts apply deep local knowledge of the UK’s primary clusters, including Cambridge, Oxford, and London, while leveraging global trends to ensure your real estate strategy accelerates scientific and commercial success.
The UK stands at the vanguard of groundbreaking discovery. We recognise the critical role that real estate plays in facilitating this progress, providing the advanced infrastructure and strategic locations necessary for life-changing advancements. We go above and beyond, supporting your decisions with robust data, market intelligence, and decades of experience.
Want to understand how our team can help you? Contact Us.
UK Life Science Highlights
Our approach
A Passion for Innovation
The UK leads the way in groundbreaking drugs, therapies, and life-changing scientific advances. Our expert team understands the vital role real estate plays in driving progress. With a focus on innovation, we go above and beyond to support your decisions with cutting-edge data, deep market insight, and unparalleled experience.
Powering Discovery Through Property
We understand that Life Science real estate is more than just property; it is the foundation for innovation. We focus on creating environments—from state-of-the-art laboratories to GMP manufacturing facilities—that empower researchers and businesses to thrive. Our strategies are designed to align with your scientific and commercial objectives, ensuring your facilities are an asset, not a constraint.
Connected Expertise Across Global Hubs
Our UK team is an integral part of a global network of Life Science specialists, strategically positioned in major hubs across Europe and the United States. This allows us to provide a comprehensive global perspective, fostering collaboration and ensuring continuity across the markets and services you need. We combine specialist local advice with long-term experience and strong industry connections to provide consistent, high-value outcomes.
EMEA Capabilities
Explore our EMEA Life Science real estate services to see how we drive innovation across the region.
Contact: David Hutchings
Specialisations
Life Science Services for Occupiers & Landlords
Our Science & Innovation team specialises in lab and manufacturing space across the UK’s science & innovation clusters. Whether you’re growing, consolidating, or future-proofing, we offer expert advice, market insights and tailored solutions to support your success, both in the UK and internationally
Tenant Representation
We help you find the right fit for your science, ensuring your real estate provides the flexibility to grow without overpaying. Our advisors specialise in navigating the technical requirements and complex lease negotiations unique to laboratory and R&D facilities, from initial site selection to final deal closure. We align your property strategy with critical milestones, including future funding rounds, to ensure your real estate empowers your success.
Contact: Harry Blanshard | Learn more about Tenant Representation
Agency Leasing
Our dedicated team excels in marketing and leasing specialised laboratory and innovation space. We develop targeted strategies to attract high-quality tenants, from early-stage start-ups to global pharmaceutical corporations. By understanding the nuances of creating successful innovation ecosystems, we help you achieve optimal occupancy levels, stabilise income, and enhance the profile of your asset.
Contact: Jamie Renison | Learn more about Agency Leasing
Life Science Services for Investors & Developers
Our team leverages extensive cross-border expertise with occupiers to deliver tailored solutions for developers and investors, addressing both local and global market demands across the entire capital stack. We provide comprehensive advice across the science and innovation spectrum, empowering land and facility owners with the insights needed to unlock the full potential of their assets.
Capital Markets
Our Capital Markets team specialises in identifying and executing lucrative investment opportunities in the UK’s high-growth Life Science sector. Whether you are looking to acquire, divest, or finance specialised assets, we deliver tailored strategies backed by in-depth market analysis. Our goal is to maximise your returns while mitigating risk in this dynamic asset class.
Contact: Rory MacGregor | Learn more about Capital Markets
Services
Consultancy and Strategic Development
We provide tailored strategic advisory services to clients such as landlords, investors, developers, corporates, local government bodies, universities, and not-for-profit organisations. Our expertise spans development consultancy, market analysis, masterplan optimisation, business planning for incubator facilities, and strategic planning in life sciences and technology real estate. We also offer guidance on commercial agreements, spatial strategies, occupier strategies, and transaction due diligence.
Contact: Michael Aston
Valuation & Advisory
Our specialist team valued 27m sq ft of Life Science assets across the UK in 2024. We provide robust, market-leading valuation advice to investors, lenders, and owner-occupiers, supporting informed decision-making. Our experience spans standing investments and large-scale development schemes, providing the clarity and confidence needed to transact in this specialised sector.
Learn more about Valuation & Advisory
Project & Development Services
We provide end-to-end support for creating bespoke scientific facilities. Our team manages every detail of your project, from initial concept and design through to construction and fit-out of technically complex laboratories, cleanrooms, and GMP-compliant manufacturing sites. We ensure your project is delivered on time, within budget, and perfectly aligned with your operational requirements.
Contact: Ryan Glynn, or Claire Weir | Learn more about Project & Development Services
Sustainability
Achieve your ESG objectives while optimising operational efficiency. We provide expert guidance on designing and retrofitting energy-efficient laboratories, navigating environmental regulations, and implementing sustainable practices. Our solutions help reduce your carbon footprint and operational costs, enhancing your corporate reputation and attracting top talent in a competitive market.
Learn more about Sustainability Services
Asset Services
We deliver specialised property management solutions for Life Science assets, from multi-tenanted science parks to single-occupier R&D facilities. Our services focus on optimising operational performance, managing complex technical requirements, and enhancing tenant satisfaction to drive retention and long-term value. We are not satisfied with the status quo. We aim to outperform expectations and maximise asset value for our clients. With a commitment to industry best practices, we ensure your asset is managed efficiently, safely, and effectively.
Learn more about Asset Services
INSIGHTS
Related Insights
MarketBeat
UK Life Science Marketbeat Report
Article
Constructing Science: New Guidance For Building Better Life Sciences Labs
News
Iconic European Streets See 83 New Luxury Store Openings Despite Ongoing Luxury Market Transition
The European luxury retail real estate market continues to show resilience with further store openings in 2024 despite another year of transition in the luxury retail market, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s European Luxury Retail 2025 report.
Richard Coleman • 03/03/2025
Iversen Building Reaches Full Occupancy At The Oxford Science Park
The Iversen Building, a new purpose-built ‘lab ready’ 86,000 sq ft building based at The Oxford Science Park (TOSP), has reached 100% occupancy only twelve months after practical completion.
Vikki McCrindle • 28/02/2025
Properties
Properties for lease
Discover Life Science properties for lease across the United Kingdom, including lab spaces, R&D hubs, and innovation campuses in key locations like London, Cambridge, and Oxford. Whether you're scaling up or relocating, our listings offer flexible, high-spec options tailored to biotech, pharma, and research needs. Start your search today and find the ideal space to support your scientific growth.
Check all life science properties for leaseFrequently Asked Questions
We support clients in identifying the most suitable space for their operations ranging from early- stage incubator space to bespoke built facilities. The right solution depends on your research focus, compliance requirements, and stage of growth.
Laboratory and R&D environments have stringent specifications. We work with teams who can advise on design standards, compliance with biosafety and cleanroom protocols, HVAC requirements, and validation processes - ensuring your space is fit for purpose from day one.
The ‘Golden Triangle’ of Cambridge, Oxford and London, remains a global leader, but emerging clusters such as Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Edinburgh and Stevenage are increasingly attractive due to access to talent, research institutions, and cost advantages.
A combination of sustained public funding, academic collaboration, strong private capital interest, and a resilient innovation pipeline is underpinning growth. We work with landlords and investors to capture opportunities in a dynamic and evolving sector.
Laboratory and R&D spaces often require bespoke fit-outs, infrastructure upgrades and regulatory approvals. The time it takes will depend on a multitude of factors including size, type of science and the specification of space you need. Please get in touch with our team to help formulate a tailored program for you.
R&D buildings typically have high energy consumption. We help clients integrate sustainability into their projects, from energy-efficient systems and waste management to embodied carbon strategies, delivering environmental performance without compromising function.
With space in core locations increasingly constrained, secondary markets offer an appealing mix of cost efficiency, skilled labour, and ecosystem support. We identify promising regions and de-risk market entry through data-led advice and local insight.