Medical research facility at St Pancras approved by government

锘緼 contractor is set to be appointed within weeks to the first phase of a 拢600m medical research facility at St Pancras, after the centre鈥檚 business case was approved by government.

Laing O鈥橰ourke is thought to be a frontrunner for the first phase, a basement worth about 拢40m, from a shortlist which also includes Skanska, Bam, Bovis and a joint team of Mace with Sir Robert McAlpine.

The facility, known as the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation, will cover 3.6 acres of land and include 79,000m2 of buildings. Construction is expected to start in May and complete in 2015.

The scheme is being billed by the government as 鈥渙ne of the most significant developments in UK biomedical science for a generation.鈥�