Sciontec selects Morgan Sindall to deliver HEMISPHERE One

/in /by

Sciontec has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction as preferred contractor for its HEMISPHERE One laboratory and workspace development in Liverpool.

The £61m, 117,190 net sq ft development will be located at Paddington Village, Liverpool City Council’s flagship development site in the city’s Knowledge Quarter innovation district.

HEMISPHERE One is part of a two-phase project, alongside HEMISPHERE Two, that will ultimately offer a combined net total 216,693 sq ft of chemistry labs, data labs, bio labs and innovation labs, alongside incubator space, grow-on and commercial lab space. Procurement for HEMISPHERE Two will be managed via a separate tender process at a later date.

Morgan Sindall will support Sciontec in refining the technical design and allow for smooth transition into the construction phase of the project, which is expected to start on site in the Autumn.

The appointment follows a competitive tender process coordinated through the North West Construction Hub High Value Framework. Morgan Sindall previously delivered The Spine, a 160,000 sq ft commercial building which is home to the Royal College of Physicians, adjacent to the site of HEMISPHERE One.

Sciontec, a partnership between Liverpool City Council, University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and Bruntwood SciTech, has already reached outline letting agreements prior to work commencing at HEMISPHERE One.  Earlier this year, HEMISPHERE One was allocated a £13m funding package from the Government to support completion of the project.

Colin Sinclair, chief executive of Sciontec, said:

“We are bringing HEMISPHERE One and Two forward to satisfy the rocketing demand for high-quality lab space in Liverpool city centre and support delivery of the city region’s Innovation Zone ambitions.

“The appointment of a trusted and experienced main contractor in Morgan Sindall allows us to now confidently move ahead with finalising the designs and commencing shell and core work over the coming months.

“While we are advancing with pre-let agreements, we also hope that this latest step forward will offer confidence to the wider market and future innovation occupiers that Liverpool can deliver excellent new developments at scale.”

Steven Gregory, North West area director at Morgan Sindall, said:

“It’s an honour to return to Paddington Village to help shape the latest transformational project within the Knowledge Quarter. This is an exciting time for the city region, with the Innovation Zone set to make it a life science powerhouse.

“As such, HEMISPHERE One is strategically important for the City Region and our wealth of experience when it comes to delivering high performance science and technology schemes means we are well placed to take this project forward. The exceptional facilities we will build will create the perfect environment for the exchange of knowledge and ideas, enabling world leading researchers and scientists to deliver work that will result in better patient outcomes.

“We will build on the legacy of our previous work here by continuing to collaborate with educational institutions, employment agencies, and the third sector, to deliver skills and employment opportunities to local communities and ensure this project leaves a lasting economic legacy in the area for decades to come.”

The Paddington Village development was enabled with the help of a £12m Liverpool City Region Combined Authority grant to pay for infrastructure work, including demolition and bringing services to the central 8.4 acres of the 30-acre site.

HEMISPHERE One is set to also receive up to £13m from the UK Government as a result of the Liverpool Strategic Futures Panel and a £1.5m allocation from the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone, part of the Government’s Investment Zone programme.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“The development of HEMISPHERE One isn’t just another building project – it’s a clear demonstration of our region’s determination to be at the forefront of global innovation and life sciences. This cutting-edge facility will not only house world-leading research but foster a culture of collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. By creating spaces where brilliant minds can come together, we are setting the stage for breakthrough discoveries that will benefit not only the Liverpool City Region but the world.

“As we continue to invest in the future, developments like HEMISPHERE One are clear demonstrations of our ambition: to make the Liverpool City Region the best place to grow a business, lead in health and technology, and drive forward the next generation of innovation.”

Worthington Owen and Avison Young have been appointed as agents for HEMISPHERE One.

Bridging the Gap: Inspiring Future Careers in AI with Carmel College

/in /by

At Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool), we are committed to bridging the gap between education and industry to prepare the next generation for new innovative opportunities. Recently, as part of our KQ Future Innovators Programme, we had the pleasure of engaging with the talented Computer Science students at Ofsted Outstanding Carmel College on two separate visits, both focusing on exploring careers innovation.

On the first visit, the students explored cutting-edge facilities, including the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Materials Innovation Factory, LJMU Astrophysics Research Institute and the Digital Innovation Facility. This initial engagement with Carmel College was truly inspiring and brought to light an exciting yet delicate topic, Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

While AI is revolutionising and upskilling industries globally, the students faced a unique challenge. AI tools are restricted under examination and qualification rules to ensure academic integrity is maintained. The college’s mission aims to be an academic centre of excellence for all. During the visit it presented an intriguing challenge for our discussions. Students were understandably cautious about openly discussing their experience and potential of AI, reflecting their academic environment and the rapidly evolving technological landscape. However, as the students were studying Computer Science, AI would certainly be a tool they are likely to need to use in their future careers!

To address this, the KQ Liverpool team were determined to give them an oversight of careers with AI, therefore when planning the second visit we collaborated with Clixels, a dynamic tech company based in our innovation district who is making waves in the AI sector. Clixels Co-founders, Andy Pink and Serge Patrick-Hessleton, led a session aimed to inspire and educate students on the appropriate uses of AI and the diverse career paths it unlocks. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, the students were introduced to ethical considerations, creative applications, and the vast potential of AI in shaping their future careers.

Building on this engagement, we are thrilled to share that Clixels Co-founder and Carmel College alumni, Andy Pink, is continuing to support the College. With his industry expertise and passion for giving back to the college, Andy is now helping to actively shape the computer science curriculum to ensure it aligns with real-world demands, as well as developing an AI tool to help students with their examination revision. His involvement marks a significant step towards bridging the gap between classroom learning and industry readiness, empowering students to thrive in a technology-driven world.

The journey with Carmel College also highlights the importance of collaboration between education and industry. By fostering dialogue, breaking down barriers, and integrating practical insights into academic frameworks, we can equip students with the skills and confidence they need to navigate the future.

Through our recently released 2040 Vision, we look forward to continuing our mission of inspiring young minds and shaping a workforce ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow, by creating a place that is both inclusive and inspirational for generations to come. 

If you would like to take part in the KQ Future Innovators Programme, please contact: emily@kqliverpool.co.uk

KQ Liverpool sets out plans to create ‘innovation generation’

/in /by

Today, we have unveiled our new ‘Blueprint for Growth’ over the next 15 years.

Our 2040 Vision will help create a range of inclusive innovation opportunities and inspire future generations in the Liverpool City Region by focussing on skills development, community engagement, collaboration and inward investment.

Our new 2040 vision has been created following consultation with more than fifty local stakeholders and is underpinned by three core principles; to Convene and Collaborate, Amplify and Attract, Invent and Innovate. 

As Liverpool and the wider city region continue to suffer from serious inequalities around issues such as health, education and deprivation, tackling those will be crucial to KQ Liverpool’s future plans, alongside support for the essential community work carried out by its partners. 

This will involve expansion of our existing KQ Futures programme, enabled through the Liverpool City Region Health and Life Sciences Innovation Zone, to engage and inspire local young people about the various career opportunities that exist in their home city in specialist sectors. In 2024, we hosted hundreds of students at its innovation sites and published an illustrated children’s book, Animates: Learning in Liverpool, which was delivered to every primary school in the city region. 

We will also seek to boost business growth, job creation and investment into the area while promoting the city region’s high-growth priorities around health and life sciences, materials innovation, AI and robotics. This includes supporting scale-up as well as start-up businesses and simplifying the business support and funding landscape to encourage more innovation-led organisations to start, relocate and stay.

The physical development of our innovation district itself is another key element of the new vision. KQ Liverpool will work with developers and investors including Sciontec to create more than a million sq ft of new laboratory and workspace. We will play an important role in unlocking the potential of development sites such as Paddington South, Mount Pleasant and Copperas Hill and shaping transport and connectivity improvements across the district, thus making it more accessible and recognisable to residents, businesses and visitors.  

There will also be fresh focus on the collective influence of KQ Liverpool and our partners around important national and international issues and challenges, rather than the physical boundary of the district itself, helping to attract inward investment and showcase the strengths of its innovation ecosystem. 

Speaking on behalf of the wide range of partners engaged in KQ Liverpool, our chair Andrew Lewis, said:

“Our 2040 vision is about improving the lives of those who live and work here, for years to come.  We want to create an innovation generation, supporting new skills in our local communities, highlighting the many incredible innovations that happen here in KQ Liverpool, and encouraging future generations of science and technology pioneers to call Liverpool their home. 

 “We can be proud of the innovation ecosystem and partnerships we have created here in Liverpool, bringing high quality jobs and investment into the city centre, through spin-outs, SMEs, multinationals and global investors who see the enormous potential of KQ Liverpool as a place to do business and create long-term opportunities.”

Colin Sinclair, chief executive of KQ Liverpool, said:

“The foundation of our success to date has been the strength of our partnership, exceeding expectations by challenging the norm and refusing to accept anything average or ordinary.

“Going forward, our 2040 vision amplifies that ambition. As a partnership, we will do everything in our power to make this place and peoples’ lives better.”

For further information about KQ Liverpool or the new KQ Liverpool 2040 : A Blueprint for Growth, please click here.