The LGC Group has opened a £20m National Laboratories facility at The Priestley Building at Surrey Research Park.
The investment brings together three nationally critical laboratories under one roof – the National Measurement Laboratory (NML), the Office of the Government Chemist (GC) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA’s) chemical laboratories – creating a national hub for measurement science.
The purpose-built, low-carbon facility demonstrates a significant private sector commitment to the UK’s research infrastructure.
Joydeep Goswami, President and CEO of LGC, said, “This investment demonstrates our long-term confidence in the UK’s scientific infrastructure and its continued importance to the world. From this state-of-the-art site, our scientists will support scientific innovation and strengthen the trust that every test, therapy and product depends upon.”
Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear, added, “Much of the science that we benefit from every day, from new medicines to high food safety standards, is underpinned by the work of the National Measurement Laboratory and the Government Chemist.”
He added, “This new lab will ensure our facilities are fit for the future as new opportunities develop in areas like advanced therapeutics and engineering biology, helping to improve lives and grow our economy through new discoveries.”
Julian Braybrook, Government chemist and director of the National Laboratories, added that the facility will act as a platform for collaboration and innovation. “The National Laboratories are unique in bringing together government, industry, and the broader scientific community to deliver national functions in the public interest,” he said. “This new facility helps us tackle new measurement challenges, from antimicrobial resistance to cell therapies to engineering biology, while continuing to deliver the accurate and reliable measurement science that makes standardisation possible.”
Kelly Cleveland, head of real estate and investment at British Land, owner of The Priestley Building, said the new laboratories strengthen the scientific ecosystem at Surrey Research Park. “We’re proud to support LGC’s continued growth and impact in advancing public health, safety, and research excellence at The Priestley Building,” she said.