The Crown Estate has announced plans to create a £4.5bn development for science space and housing after acquiring a 221-acre site next to  Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.

The site could deliver up to 4.5m sq ft of laboratory and advanced manufacturing space, plus 400 new homes. With a gross development value of £4.5bn on completion, it is expected to contribute an estimated £2.5bn to GDP and create 30,000 jobs.

The acquisition forms part of The Crown Estate’s commitment to invest up to £1.5bn in the sector over the next 15 years. 

The Harwell site is of global significance and a cornerstone of the UK research industry. The site sits within the Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Arc – the area of economic priority that is a global hub for science, innovation and research, driving national prosperity and economic growth. 

Dan Labbad, chief executive at The Crown Estate, said: “The UK’s science, innovation and technology community is pushing the boundaries of progress in areas from AI to advanced manufacturing. But they need the specialised lab facilities and housing to realise potential. 

“The ambition of Harwell East is to create the space for great science to flourish, and to fuel growth and success not just in the region but for the benefit of the whole country. 

“This acquisition marks the latest step on our journey to support the UK’s fast-growing sectors. At a time when delivering world-class science, innovation and technology space is so important to the future prosperity of the country, our role to act in the long-term national interest makes us perfectly placed to unlock the potential of Harwell East and ensure that the UK stays at the forefront of global innovation.”

Science minister and Oxford-Cambridge Innovation Champion, Lord Vallance, added: “Harwell has been a byword for world-class science and innovation for well over half a century. There are very few places on the planet where you can find such a concentration of talent, infrastructure, and entrepreneurship, which together are fuelling breakthroughs in everything from life sciences and clean energy, to space and particle physics.

“Opening up Harwell East could help the brilliant businesses and innovators based here to expand and tackle the great challenges of our era, with access to the labs, facilities, and homes they need to do their work. The vast economic potential of this site underlines precisely why we are determined to fully unlock the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, as an engine for nationwide growth.”

Crucible is actively working with The Crown Estate to secure planning permission for Harwell East. It was originally conceived by Angus Horner of Crucible – former campus director at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.

Today’s announcement follows the news in May that The Crown Estate had entered into a conditional agreement with Lendlease to create a new joint venture partnership focused on Lendlease’s undeveloped UK land and management portfolio, with the potential to deliver 11 million sq ft of science, innovation and technology workspace.

This includes 60 acres above and around Euston Station in London, containing over 4.8m sq ft of potential space for life sciences research and enterprises. 

The Crown Estate is also developing over 1 million sq ft of commercial office and lab space at Cambridge Business Park and acquired the former Debenhams unit in Oxford city centre as part of its partnership with Oxford Science Enterprises and Pioneer Group to deliver 100,000 sq ft of lab space.

Angus Horner, founder at Crucible, said: “This is an exciting commitment by The Crown Estate, doubling down on the multi-generational success and world leading science and innovation at Harwell.   

“This type of project is crucial now, if we are to fully leverage our skills and capabilities to supercharge UK plc and deliver improved social, health and economic wellbeing.”