The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) has
applied to Camden Council for permission to build a world-leading
medical research institute at St Pancras and Somers Town in
London.
The creation of the UKCMRI facility will reinforce London's and
the UK's position as a global centre of research excellence. UKCMRI
will conduct research into the basic biology
underlying human health. In addition, effective collaboration with
other research and clinical establishments, many of which are
nearby, will speed up the process of turning discoveries made in
the laboratory into effective treatments for the most significant
diseases affecting people today.
The planning application was submitted on 1 September 2010 and
is expected to be heard by members of the Development Control
Committee before the end of the year, following a formal
consultation by the Council. If approved, construction will begin
next year with completion in 2015.
The application follows over two years of consultation with
scientists, business leaders, politicians and planners. Local
residents and community groups were invited to comment on the
proposals at more than 70 events held by the UKCMRI team. More than
500 people attended.
Several changeswere made to the design of the building in response to feedback
including reducing the overall height of the building by locating
about one third of it below street level.
The Chair of UKCMRI, Sir David Cooksey, said: "The proposed
UKCMRI building has been carefully designed to meet future
scientific demands and to respond to the architectural heritage of
the area. In addition, we have modified the exterior, public areas
and open spaces as a result of consultation.
"UKCMRI is perfectly positioned to bring together a wealth of
expertise to tackle some of the biggest challenges in beating
cancers, heart disease, stroke, 'flu and neuro-degenerative
diseases. It sits within the extraordinary cluster of medical and
scientific institutions already found in Camden."
He added "This is an unprecedented opportunity for UK science.
New discoveries and technological advances have opened up countless
opportunities to uncover fundamental causes of health and
disease."
UKCMRI was founded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer
Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and UCL (University College London)
in response to the Cooksey Review of funding arrangements for
medical research. Its work will be based on the world-class
research currently being carried out at the MRC's National
Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research UK's London
Research Institute, and in UCL's laboratories. The Wellcome Trust
has supported numerous innovative ventures in recent years
including the Sanger Institute which sequenced a third of the human
genome.
UKCMRI will be a substantial institute providing space for more
than 1,500 staff, including 1,250 scientists from a range of
disciplines. UKCMRI's location amid the cluster of outstanding
research and medical institutions in Camden, many within easy
walking distance, will foster the collaborations and
multi-disciplinary working which are now recognised as essential
for success in biomedical science.
UKCMRI will play an important national role. It will recruit
from a global pool of talent, providing an opportunity for
researchers to develop their careers in the UK. Through
collaboration it will build extensive links throughout the UK and
internationally, assisted by the excellent national and
international transport links on its doorstep.