London Cancer Hub: fostering collaboration and growth through a unique, strong partnership

Background

The London Cancer Hub (LCH), in Sutton, South London is already one of the most influential centres for cancer research and innovation in the world. This follows the decision by Sutton Council in 2013 to launch an ambitious regeneration programme at the site to bring growth and investment to the borough, create jobs for residents and improve local infrastructure. The council has been working since with partners to create detailed plans and ongoing investment into the site.

The vision is to create a world-leading life science district at the London Cancer Hub by 2035, and accelerate the fight against cancer. The LCH will be a vibrant environment to work in and visit, attracting enterprise and collaboration in an outstanding setting. It is Sutton Council’s flagship regeneration project and a key part of the Mayor of London’s new Growth Plan.

London is establishing itself as a substantial global life science cluster, demonstrating strong credentials to attract and retain research and development organisations across the commercial and academic spectrum. Life science occupiers are pivoting to London for various reasons, including the talent pipeline provided by London’s world-leading research universities and institutions. Sutton enjoys fast access to central London, is well-positioned between Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, and is in the life-science ‘Golden Triangle’ of London, Cambridge and Oxford.

The challenges

Increased investment and the drive for closer collaboration between the public and private sectors, coupled with a shortage of space and rising rents, mean that demand for life science lab space is outstripping supply. This trend is set to continue.

Sutton Council has faced two main challenges: to make its vision a reality and advance London’s growth and global competitiveness, while ensuring the LCH also benefits Sutton’s residents, workers and businesses.

The council wanted partners to demonstrate the need and demand for the LCH space and to invest there. Working with the renowned Institute of Cancer Research, based on-site for 69 years, the council launched the Innovation Gateway in 2022 – an incubator space at the heart of the LCH – to highlight the need for further space on-site. In 2024, the council selected world-leading insurers Aviva and developer Socius as its partners to develop the site into the world’s leading district for cancer research and treatment. The LCH is expected to gain planning consent in 2025, delivering major social and economic benefits for Sutton, South London and the entire UK, including:

• adding c£1.2bn value to the UK economy
• £12m increased business rates income
• 13,000 jobs in health, science, education and construction
• space for start-up, growing and established businesses.

Over the next ten years, Socius/Aviva will transform around 1 million square feet of land at the LCH to create a multi-phase life science district, with new commercial, residential and amenity uses. It is expected to bring £700m investment into the borough. Socius have also recently announced the launch of Populate, a new company specialising in place management, to maximise the long-term social and economic value for occupiers, the local community and investors.

The frequency of train services to nearby Belmont Station has been an additional challenge. In response, Sutton Council secured £14.1m investment from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. This funding will enhance the rail infrastructure in the Sutton and Belmont areas to increase frequencies from 2 to 4 trains per hour. The council is collaborating with Network Rail (NR) and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to deliver this scheme. It is expected to complete by December 2027.

The Partnership

Science is increasingly taking place in ‘open collaboration’ between academics, charities and other partners, such as NHS hospitals, to develop their ideas and scale up their discoveries. The London Cancer Hub will enable companies to co-locate their teams within a global centre for cancer research and innovation – opening exciting new opportunities to collaborate with world-class researchers/clinicians. These partnerships have helped make the site the success it is already.

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is one of the world’s most influential research organisations and ranks second in the UK for excellence and impact. Since 2005, the ICR has discovered 21 drug candidates. This includes a prostate cancer drug, Abiraterone, which has benefitted hundreds of thousands of men worldwide.

Additionally, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (RMH), the world-renowned provider of cancer care, is also on the LCH site. Their new Oak Cancer Centre brings treatment, research and care into one unique building, providing early diagnoses to 5,000 more people per year – saving lives.

It is estimated that around 25% of all cancer drugs licensed in Europe between 2000 and 2016 involved the ICR or Royal Marsden. The London Cancer Hub is already Europe’s leading cancer care, research and innovation district and is ranked no.1 in Europe for oncology research and treatment. The development partnership encompasses all landowners on-site:

• Aviva Capital Partners
• Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Harris Academy Sutton
• Institute for Cancer Research
• Sutton Council
• Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
• Socius/Populate

Results

The importance of the LCH is set out perfectly by Professor Paul Workman Harrap, Professor of Cancer Pharmacology and Therapeutics at The Institute of Cancer Research:

“We’ve been working in partnership with the London Borough of Sutton on The London Cancer Hub project for many years. We’re very excited about its latest phase, which is set to bring a new mass of commercial research companies working in the life sciences to join us here in Sutton, South London. We’re confident that new commercial space at The London Cancer Hub will deliver great benefits – by encouraging innovative collaborations between academics, clinicians, and industry, by facilitating the kinds of breakthroughs that can only come from working across scientific and organisational boundaries, and by providing the new treatments for people with cancer that are so urgently needed.”

Dame Cally Palmer, Chief Executive of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust:

“We are privileged to have an exciting blend of scientific and clinical expertise at Sutton, South London that consistently translates innovative ideas in drug discovery from the laboratory to the clinical setting for the benefit of cancer patients worldwide. The London Borough of Sutton’s vision for The London Cancer Hub and invitation to the biotech industry to move into commercial space on-site will strengthen our flourishing research community and create new opportunities for us to collaborate on developing cancer treatments for the future.”

Deputy Mayor of London for Business & Growth, Howard Dawber, said:

“It was a pleasure to visit Sutton, South London and see the innovative work taking place across the borough. It was particularly inspiring to tour the new London Cancer Hub, where the Institute of Cancer Research and Socius are working to create a world-leading cancer research and life sciences institute.

“Growth increasingly happens in hubs outside the city centre, like here in Sutton. The Mayor and I will continue to support new growth clusters as they create jobs and opportunities for Londoners.“

The council has been on a ten-year journey to date and by the time the next ten years are complete, the site should be fully operational with Sutton, South London well and truly on the global map.