Sciontec targets May 2027 start for Liverpool’s Hemisphere One

Sciontec is targeting a May 2027 construction start for Hemisphere One, its 150,000 sq ft laboratory and office development in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, with Morgan Sindall named preferred contractor.

The scheme has been selected for support from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s £2bn investment fund. That figure covers the wider fund rather than the cost of Hemisphere One or its individual allocation.

What happened

The eight-storey building will be the first of two proposed Hemisphere developments in the area. Sciontec is already holding several pre-let discussions, as reported by Place North West, although no occupiers for the new building were named.

Morgan Sindall’s involvement remains at preferred-contractor stage. Its area director, Steven Gregory, confirmed that the construction business expected to begin work on site in May 2027 and described the scheme as a contribution to Liverpool’s expanding life sciences sector.

The background

Hemisphere One secured planning permission in 2023, with AHR Architects responsible for its design. Subsequent changes have altered the façade and reconfigured the accommodation to incorporate laboratories, so the current proposal has evolved from the consented design.

The original application can be found under reference 22F/1813 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal. The inclusion of laboratory space is central to Sciontec’s current case for the development, alongside its office accommodation.

Sciontec brings together Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool City Council and Bruntwood SciTech. Its existing workspace portfolio accommodates more than 100 innovation-led companies.

Recent leasing activity includes an agreement with MEDITECH UK at Liverpool Science Park, alongside deals with Robotiz3d, Genetix and Coretech Sciences. Those lettings relate to Sciontec’s existing portfolio rather than confirmed tenancies at Hemisphere One.

What people are saying

Sciontec chair Barbara Spicer said interest in Hemisphere was coming from external businesses in the science, technology and health sectors. She presented the development as an opportunity to bring additional high-growth companies into the organisation’s established network of workspaces and occupiers.

Leanne Katsande, Sciontec’s head of commercial, said demand for its city-centre accommodation had increased despite difficult economic conditions. Laboratories were a particular focus for organisations seeking either to establish a Liverpool presence or expand their existing operations.

Katsande identified two intended markets for Hemisphere: international businesses considering Liverpool City Region and local companies requiring more space as they grow. For the latter, the development would add city-centre laboratory accommodation rather than require a move away from the centre.

What happens next

The construction programme targets completion in early 2029, potentially making Hemisphere One operational that year. The proposed May 2027 mobilisation is therefore the next main delivery milestone, rather than an opening date.

Pre-let negotiations will determine which businesses take space in the building. No signed Hemisphere One lease agreements were identified in the report, and no construction timetable was given for the proposed second building.