The Government has approved Kirklees Council’s plans for the new West Yorkshire Life Sciences Investment Zone, which will build on billions of pounds of planning investment across Huddersfield.
In November last year, the Government announced a new ‘Investment Zone’ for Kirklees and wider West Yorkshire, which will focus on supporting innovation in the health, wellbeing and digital industries.
The Council’s plans for the Investment Zone have built on Kirklees’ existing local strengths in innovation and research, and will aim to develop a strong cluster of interconnected businesses, suppliers and local research institutions.
The proposals put forward by Kirklees Council centre on the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor – a scheme of work that’s all about boosting economic development in Huddersfield, creating new opportunities for businesses to grow and develop, and more high-quality jobs for local people.
This corridor stretches from Huddersfield Railway Station to The John Smith’s Stadium, anchored by the new National Health Innovation Campus (NHIC) at the University of Huddersfield.
The NHIC is a transformative project led by the University of Huddersfield, which is set to improve health outcomes and lead innovation in healthcare for the north of England, the UK and internationally. The new campus will deliver a mix of world-class research, teaching and public health facilities, including clinical diagnostics, skin integrity and infection prevention.
The Investment Zone programme will speed up work on the NHIC, and bring forward other sites for potential investment, to attract more businesses looking to benefit from links to the campus.
The Council will also be investing in key infrastructure to unlock barriers to development, as well as improving links for pedestrians and cyclists across the area. Revenue funding will also provide more business and innovation support for organisations in the health and digital sectors.
Speaking about the funding, Councillor Cathy Scott, leader of Kirklees Council, said,“This is an incredibly exciting time to be part of the health and wellbeing sector in Kirklees. The West Yorkshire Life Sciences Investment Zone will allow us to build on all the fantastic research and innovation already taking place, and really put us on the map for health tech.”
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, added, “We are creating the future of Healthtech and Digital Tech here in West Yorkshire. Our universities are conducting groundbreaking research, our businesses are creating cutting-edge innovations, and our people are developing the critical skills they need to make the breakthroughs of tomorrow.
“This investment will catapult our strengths to the next level as we work to build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
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