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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Summary

With direct reference to queries that we understand have been raised to date:

  • CL2 labs do not work with materials that are airborne or hazardous to human health. In this respect, pathogens (micro-organisms) will not be extracted, grown or stored in the
    building from the samples.
  • There will be no form of any animal testing facility in the building.
  • The building will be designed, delivered and operated by specialists in the sector, who will ensure implementation of the highest safety protocols, ensuring the safety of people within the building and those in the local area.
  • CL2 is the most commonly used containment level and these laboratories are found within most University and Hospital campuses. Within Manchester and along the Oxford Road Corridor there are a number of existing CL2 laboratories. These facilities are managed in accordance with the legislation outlined in this note with zero impact on surrounding users.
  • UK Biobank is the internationally significant occupier in the Greenheys building, which will deliver major benefits to the existing life science research already undertaken across the
    Oxford Road Corridor.

Should there be further questions that arise, the Applicant would be happy to address these as part of the planning application determination process.

What does the term ‘Life Sciences’ mean?

Life sciences means the application of biology and technology to health improvement. This is a broad definition and includes a variety of company types including pharma, diagnostic and therapeutics companies that are developing treatments and vaccines through to pharmatech and healthtech companies that are using AI to deliver healthcare more efficiently.

The Greenheys development will facilitate groundbreaking research in the life sciences sector and be a place where businesses already with a new piece of equipment or treatment can grow their business, working directly with the NHS and Universities.

What is a Containment Level 2 (CL2 laboratory)?

The building will be predominantly occupied by UK Biobank, along with a handful of other similar types of companies and the below information relates to both user groups.

The infrastructure needed when labs are being built are categorised into 4 levels called Containment Levels (CL). The classification in itself doesn’t determine exactly what happens in those labs, it refers to the type of equipment that is required to enable different types of businesses to function.

The levels of laboratory design become more complex and specialist as you go up the levels:

  • CL1: known as a dry lab where no ‘wet’ materials such as liquids, DNA samples or tissues are being used. CL1 labs typically are more akin to office or engineering space but have higher power usage – for example prototyping new types of pacemakers or walking aids and frames.
  • CL2: biology labs that predominantly enable the development of new medicines in the drug discovery process. Substances or biological matters are utilised under more stringent conditions to protect lab users, and although controls are stricter, CL2 labs do not work with materials that are airborne or are hazardous to human health. Examples could include microbiology or cell culture.
  • CL3 and CL4 (sometimes referred to as Clean Rooms): These labs are the highest specification and most complex labs with further security and safety measures put in place. They are usually home to the most specialist equipment of all life science businesses and where more hazardous chemicals or biological matters are being used.

The laboratories being provided at Greenheys are Level 2 labs (referred to CL2). This means that additional equipment is added to the lab on top of the most basic level, so that if any DNA samples or biological matters are being used by the businesses within them, they are tested, handled and disposed of in safe environments, in which there are strict protocols to maintain health and safety standards.

CL2 laboratories are very typical across the UK in both commercial facilities as well as Universities and Hospitals with a long history of safe operation.

The laboratories at Greenheys will not provide any form of animal testing facilities.

CL2 labs are defined by Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the requirements under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). These laboratories are used for manipulating liquids and biological matters and are governed by strict industry protocols to contain the materials within the laboratory and minimise any outside contamination from affecting the materials inside the facility.

Containment laboratories have layers of control which match the work being done in them.

Controls in CL2 laboratories include access restrictions, secure storage, disinfection procedures and detailed training for anyone working in the area.

In the case of a CL2 lab, pathogens (micro-organisms) will not be extracted, grown or stored in the building from the samples.

Who will occupy the building?

UK Biobank, the main customer in the building, is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource, containing in-depth genetic and health information from half a million UK participants. It is a major contributor to the advancement of modern medicine and treatment and has enabled several scientific discoveries that improve human health.

UK Biobank is an internationally significant charity that will be pivotal to the local, regional and national life sciences ecosystem. The presence of their research and IP will help foster new treatments and cures and attract other businesses currently based both outside Manchester and across the UK, to come and locate close by. Examples of the types of other companies expected to be based in the building could include those exploring new means of creating tests, treatments or product prototypes for diagnosing patients. Other types of businesses could be those who study people’s genes and proteins to plan new, specific treatments rather than having a one-size-fits-all approach, or they might study DNA to understand how genetic factors play a role in the development of common infections.

UK Biobank has extremely stringent health and safety protocols and undertake all available measures to mitigate any impact on surrounding areas and will continue to do so.

Please refer to recent coverage of the UK Biobank for further information:

UK Biobank will be using their space within the building for biological sample storage, processing laboratories and offices. In addition, the space will accommodate a state-of-the-art robotic freezer that will store and retrieve 20 million biological samples that have been donated by UK Biobank’s 500,000 participants.

How will the building operate and be managed?

Bruntwood SciTech is very experienced at managing lab buildings with approximately 3.5 million sq ft of labs under its management currently across the UK. This includes CL1, CL2, CL3 and clean rooms all with varying levels of complication and challenges.

There are various considerations when managing the operation of CL2 labs including:

  • Specialist waste disposal – Bruntwood SciTech is experienced in managing all types of lab buildings. All customers in Greenheys will contract with our preferred specialist waste management company who will be experts in the disposal of these waste types and conform to all legal requirements as set out by the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
  • Logistics – Greenheys has been designed with the requirements to manage additional logistical demands of CL2 users. These include waste collection vehicles, science specific delivery vehicles etc. The Bruntwood SciTech property management team will be responsible for coordinating the logistics area, managing the shipping and receiving of the goods and the safe delivery to and from customer demises. All activity will be risk assessed in line with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
  • Security – High levels of CCTV coverage and multiple layers of intelligent access control will be in place

How common are Containment Level 2 laboratories?

CL2 is the most commonly used containment level and these laboratories are found within most University and Hospital campuses.

Within Manchester and along the Oxford Road Corridor there are a number of existing CL2 laboratories. These facilities are managed in accordance with the legislation outlined above with zero impact on surrounding users. Bruntwood SciTech has a vast amount of experience in creating CL1, CL2 and CL3 labs and the portfolio includes existing labs at Manchester Science Park, the Citylabs campus within the Manchester NHS Hospital Trust campus, Alderley Park in Cheshire, and the current development of Birmingham Health Innovation Campus.