A Future Vision

Exciting development plans are in place to grow the Campus into a truly global destination for research organisations, innovative companies and scientific talent – driving cutting-edge science into advances in health and tackling some of humanity’s greatest challenges.  

Over the next few years, the overall size of the Campus will grow from 125 acres to 440 acres and the number of scientists and support teams working on it is expected to increase from around 3,000 to between 7,000 and 9,000. 

The expansion of the Campus will build on the site’s existing international standing from Wellcome Sanger and EMBL-EBI’s achievements over the past decades. This will provide new facilities that will enhance the current offer and deliver opportunities for new activities, research and commercial endeavours. Backed by the Wellcome Trust, the first phase alone is one of the largest contemporary investments in the UK’s life sciences infrastructure.  

This will provide even more opportunities to discover new science and improve lives for everyone through genomics, biodata, health data and data science, using machine learning and AI.  

The expansion also includes new homes for campus workers and their families, new community uses and social infrastructure – including a nursery, conferencing, hotel, retail and leisure, food and drink, landscaping and public realm, biodiversity enhancements, an energy centre, transport, utility and enabling works. 

The integration of historic buildings and new modern structures, extensive historic parklands and wetlands as well as new contemporary spaces, will bring together working, living, learning and play, science, innovation, health and well-being, within one exceptional environment. 

Outline planning permission for the Campus expansion plans was granted in 2020. The permission is for up to 1.6 million square feet of flexible space for R&D, laboratories, offices and other employment uses, 1,500 homes for campus workers and their families and the full range of supporting, ancillary, community and infrastructure uses referred to above.  

Since then, significant work has begun to prepare the site for its dynamic future. 

In 2022, the masterplan was refined to connect spaces across the existing and new Campus spaces through a landscape-led design approach with transport, sustainability and community at its heart. The refinements included two new bridges over the A1301.   

The first phase involves highway works and putting in place other crucial infrastructure. Reserved matters for the first new buildings on this part of the Campus (new labs and homes and a leisure/health club) were submitted in 2024 and 2025. Subject to approval, these are scheduled for completion in 2027.   

Meanwhile, the 2020 planning permission also included two development plots on the existing Campus – one of which has been developed as the new Thornton Building and is occupied by EMBL-EBI. The Thornton Building opened in in March 2025.  

For further information email future@wellcomegenomecampus.com