Following the government’s announcement of delays in the development of the new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary, key city leaders: including those from Leeds City Council, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust — have reiterated their steadfast commitment to fostering innovation and growth in Leeds.
The coalition has affirmed its dedication to advancing the city’s long-term objectives of innovation and growth, aiming to cultivate a healthier, greener, and more inclusive future for all residents. This commitment comes in the wake of the recently confirmed funding and projected start dates of 2033 to 2035 for the new hospital’s development at Leeds General Infirmary.
Despite delays in the development of the new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary announced by the Government, city leaders are optimistic as they confirm that the Leeds Innovation Village project will proceed as planned. This project is a critical component of the city’s £2 billion Leeds Innovation Arc and a flagship initiative within the £160 million West Yorkshire Investment Zone. Construction is expected to commence later this year.
The Village is anticipated to generate approximately £13 billion in economic growth for Leeds and create around 4,000 jobs. The project has already begun its first phase, which includes transforming the Old Medical School at the Leeds General Infirmary site into a state-of-the-art healthtech innovation hub. This redevelopment is being spearheaded by Scarborough Group International, one of the UK’s leading privately-owned, mixed-use developers.
The construction of a new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary is a key component of the West Yorkshire Mayor’s local growth plan, which focuses on stimulating growth and innovation throughout the city. This initiative is designed to bolster the region’s rapidly expanding business sectors, particularly health and life sciences, aligning with the Government’s developing national industrial strategy.
This latest commitment enhances an array of successful innovation initiatives within the Innovation Arc, notably including:
· Nexus, a cutting-edge innovation hub located on the University of Leeds campus, which has become a thriving community for innovators and entrepreneurs. Since its inception in 2019, Nexus has attracted £134 million in private investment, achieving a return of £1.92 for every £1 invested. It has collaborated with 191 companies to date, uniting leading figures from business, technology, and academia. Notably, over half of its member businesses are pioneers in healthtech innovation.
· Leeds Teaching Hospital’s rapidly expanding Innovation Pop Up, situated within the Innovation Village at the Leeds General Infirmary site, has seen significant growth. In just three years, it has expanded its industry membership to over 50 and is actively collaborating on around 40 projects with various industry partners. The Pop Up operates both nationally and internationally, bringing together world-leading clinicians and healthtech industry partners to advance innovation, research, and technology for patient benefit.
· Additionally, Leeds Beckett University’s £80 million Leeds School of Art building offers state-of-the-art facilities for over 2,500 students and 100 staff engaged in studies and research across film, TV, technology, sound, music, drama, dance, and fashion. This center fosters broader cultural and industry partnerships throughout Leeds, enhancing the city’s educational and creative landscape.
· A proposed route for the West Yorkshire Mayor’s Mass Transit system would introduce trams along the central axis of the Innovation Arc, connecting Leeds station and the South Bank with Harehills. This development aims to integrate modern, sustainable transport options within the core of the Innovation Arc, facilitating quicker north-south travel, creating vibrant hubs at tram stops, and enhancing connectivity to the broader region.
This reinvigorated commitment positions Leeds as one of the UK’s most stable, progressive, and appealing hubs for health and care research and innovation. Supported by robust collaborative leadership, Leeds is recognized as the third most attractive city for health-tech firms either starting up or considering relocation. It hosts the largest number of health and life science undergraduates in the nation and is the base for nine of the top ten research and development investors.
Dame Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon. LLD, Chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“Our plans for a new hospital are more than healthcare and play a pivotal role in harnessing innovation and stimulating growth across Leeds and beyond. Despite the announcement of disappointing delays to our new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary, plans for the Leeds Innovation Village will still go ahead, with early phases already underway.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said:
“As the home of NHS England and Europe’s largest teaching hospital, Leeds is an international magnet for health innovation, and there is no setback that can stop us from realising our potential.
“With our multimillion-pound Investment Zone driving the development of the Old Medical School into a world-leading centre of medical and technological innovation, we will deliver jobs and growth here in West Yorkshire while transforming the lives of patients worldwide.
“We will also continue to make the case for the all-important new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary to be built as soon as possible, as part of our wider plans to build a well-connected Innovation Arc across the city of Leeds through our new Mass Transit system, driving growth.”
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council said:
“We remain absolutely committed to our long-term vision for the city of stimulating innovation and economic growth that drives and delivers measurable impact towards a healthier, greener and inclusive future for all.
“The Leeds Innovation Village, a key neighbourhood within the city’s £2 billion Innovation Arc, will progress as planned, and we’re excited about the potential it holds to drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve healthcare. The transformation of the Old Medical School into a new cutting-edge health innovation hub will further solidify Leeds’ position as a global healthtech hub.”
The Leeds Innovation Arc, a £2 billion science park located in the city center, has become a global hub for people, investment, and innovation in one of the UK’s fastest-growing and most sustainable cities. This ecosystem is dedicated to tackling the most pressing societal challenges through collaborative, diverse, and innovative solutions. The Arc boasts some of the north of England’s most significant innovation assets across both the public and private sectors. This includes the city’s largest universities, Leeds General Infirmary, and Nexus at the University of Leeds, which serves as a vibrant center for numerous innovative businesses like SeeAI, Itecho Health, and Atlas Endoscopy.
Leeds City Council’s commitment to innovation continues to build upon its participation in the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology Regional Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program (MIT REAP). This initiative has significantly accelerated Leeds’ ambitions to strengthen its regional innovation ecosystem and provided a framework to measure and benchmark its ongoing progress.
Despite the Government’s review of the New Hospital Programme, which has delayed the construction timeline for the new Leeds hospital — city leaders remain focused on their innovation agenda. The hospital project, part of the national New Hospital Programme, is now under review, but Leeds remains determined to advance innovation-driven growth independently, leveraging the momentum gained through partnerships like MIT REAP.
