- Bruntwood SciTech, a 50:50 joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General is the UK’s leading property provider dedicated to the growth of the science and tech sector;
- Bruntwood SciTech specialises in the creation and development of thriving innovation districts, with 9 sector-specialist campuses across the UK;
- The capital from OakNorth Bank will support the development of new office and lab space for businesses in the science and tech sector in Birmingham, helping to support the delivery of the region’s local industrial strategy and the government’s national ‘levelling up’ agenda.
OakNorth Bank – the UK bank for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs – has provided a £44.4M loan to the science and tech sector’s leading property provider, Bruntwood SciTech.
Established in 2018 in a joint venture between leading regional property company Bruntwood and Legal & General, Bruntwood SciTech is dedicated to driving the growth of the UK science and technology sector. With a portfolio valued at more than £526.8M, totalling over 1.8m sq ft and home to over 500 science and tech businesses the Bruntwood SciTech network includes nine sector-specialist campuses across Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Alderley Park – the UK’s largest single-site life science campus, and most recently Melbourn Science Park in the heart of the ‘golden triangle’.
The capital from OakNorth Bank will be used to support the development of vital new office and lab space for the West Midlands at two locations in the region: Innovation Birmingham the region’s leading digital tech campus situated in the heart of the city’s Knowledge Quarter and Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, co-located with the city’s universities and NHS hospital trusts which is set to become a world leading healthcare technologies campus.
Kate Lawlor, CEO, Bruntwood SciTech, commented on the transaction: “2020 was an unprecedented year, none more so than for our science and tech sector. We witnessed first-hand the importance of UK businesses working at the forefront of life sciences and tech and the impact they had on the country as they pivoted at pace and at scale in the fight against the pandemic. As the UK looks to retain its place on the global stage, it is vital that we have the infrastructure, facilities, skills and support that businesses in the sector need, helping the UK to build back better economically and sustainably. This is why we’re hugely grateful to have OakNorth Bank’s support to develop our two Birmingham campuses. Their experience gained from working with some of the leading property developers really shone through during the entire lending process, allowing us time to invest in areas where our own expertise and passion can make the most impact.”
Chris Swarbrick, Senior Debt Finance Director at OakNorth Bank, added: “We’re delighted to be supporting a business that’s championing the UK’s science and technology sector by providing them with the specialist, high-quality workspaces and wraparound support they need. With the Government’s Industrial Strategy and “levelling up” agenda focusing heavily on the transformative capabilities of the UK science and technology sector[1], we expect space, particularly in Birmingham to be in high demand.”
[1] Source: The Financial Times – Science and technology to drive new UK industrial strategy
ENDS
Notes to editors
About OakNorth Bank plc
Launched in September 2015 and founded by entrepreneurs, OakNorth Bank provides fast, flexible and accessible debt finance to the UK’s Missing Middle.
It has borrowers across a variety of sectors, including: healthcare (nursing homes and retirement villages), consumer goods, vehicle and parts manufacturing, capital goods manufacturing, household professional services (including educational services), nurseries, business support services, hospitality and recreation (including hotels, resorts, restaurants and bars, fast food outlets and limited service restaurants), SME residential and commercial property development and investment.
It is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Visit wordpress-test-website.oaknorth-it.com for more information.
Contact
Tom Pavey-Smith, Associate Director – Growth & Communications: [email protected] / [email protected] / 0791 716 5588