Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has unveiled the next major step in developing its pioneering Innovation Village.
A major milestone has been reached in the transformation of healthcare in Leeds. The city’s ambitious Innovation Village project is gathering pace, with bold plans to attract investment, deliver a state-of-the-art new hospital and grow a globally significant healthcare hub. Here’s how the exciting development is shaping up.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust announced at UKREiiF a plan to accelerate the delivery of its ambitious healthcare innovation district. The Innovation Village, backed by Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, will be home to a future new hospital and a wider ecosystem of cutting-edge medical, research and digital health facilities.
A market engagement will be completed to attract developers, investors and partners to the 12.5 hectare site, helping to shape a new masterplan that will guide the site’s short and medium-term development. Alternative funding models are also being explored to fast-track delivery outside of NHS budgets, after news of delays to national hospital funding until 2030.
The announcement comes after a new report by global property experts CBRE highlighted Leeds as one of the best places in the UK for health and life sciences growth. With strong activity in digital health and biotech, the city is seen as a prime spot for innovation and investment – though more space is needed to help growing companies scale and thrive.
Work is well underway on the first phase of the Innovation Village, which will see the transformation of the city’s historic Old Medical School into a 75,000 square-foot health tech hub by 2027. The Innovation Village is expected to deliver 4,000 new jobs, over £13 billion in economic benefits and a development potential of 1.5 million square-feet.
Ed Whiting, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council said: “Our ambition remains clear: to make Leeds a globally recognised centre for innovation, one that not only drives economic prosperity but also delivers measurable and meaningful impact towards a healthier, greener, and more inclusive future for all.
“Leeds is already a major force in powering Yorkshire’s health tech revolution, and this commitment from key partners in the city, along with ourselves to exploring innovative funding alongside the market engagement exercise for the Innovation Village, signals a further dynamic approach to strengthening our healthcare infrastructure and driving economic growth.”
