Health Innovation Neighbourhood
We want to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. Central to our plans is developing the world's first health innovation neighbourhood.
Opportunities
Working with partners we'll build on our world leading ageing research to provide innovative solutions for living, leisure, learning and employment.
The Health Innovation Neighbourhood is a 29-acre brownfield site to the west of Newcastle city centre.It will colocate:
- intergenerational residential and later living with green and blue space to encourage activity and play
- interdisciplinary primary healthcare provision incorporating education and research
- interwoven with a ‘spine’ of research and innovation in both academic and commercial infrastructure.
By acting as a ‘living laboratory’ focussed on digital enablement, health and care and the anthropogenic environment the neighbourhood will improve lives at local, regional and global levels.
Vision
The vision is to be the UK’s first health innovation neighbourhood. We're creating space for research to come together with business, government and people to shape the future of health and ageing. The work will be constantly changing as we adapt to a changing population and environment.
Health
Developing best practice in health and ageing, connecting research to community and environment, and advancing new techniques in health, care and ageing.
Wealth
Innovating and creating new economic opportunity, with good jobs and lifelong learning as well as a wider value chain supporting improved health and ageing.
Wellbeing
Delivering an inclusive and accessible place based on research, with high environmental and connectivity standards and promoting physical and mental health.
There is a dramatic health divide between the North and South of England. Addressing local health inequalities is a core ambition for the scheme. We will identify the most most effective means by which neighbourhoods can promote healthy and sustainable living and ageing. The findings will then be used to influence healthy neighbourhood developments elsewhere in the UK and around the world.
Research and innovation are the golden thread through this new health innovation neighbourhood.
The research programme will explore interdisciplinary solutions for longer and healthier lives. From medical sciences to humanities, we will generate new insights and innovations.
The site will host research activity across discovery, translation and application of new ideas.
New treatments, products and services will promote and support population health and ageing. Research into diagnostics, advanced therapeutics and rare diseases will combine with planning and place-making to create a unique place.
From Newcastle. For the world.
Everybody will benefit from strong links with the wider Newcastle research, innovation and healthcare system. Local and regional populations will be at the heart of the neighbourhood. And international research exchanges will share learning, insight, and best practice. The neighbourhood will bring together academic research, healthcare providers, commercial partners and SMEs to work alongside researchers and local communities. We also plan to include residential and care offerings on site. They will also be part of the collaborative network. Together we will all help people to live longer, healthier lives.
A living test bed
By developing hybrid models of health and care the neighbourhood will be a living test bed:
- Academics and NHS practitioners will trial innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment
- Smart Homes and wearables will enable ethical data collection to develop comprehensive insights into health and wellbeing for individuals
- Real-time data from smart homes and wearables will improve diagnostics and research into provision for health and ageing
- Positive adaptations can be trialled in housing and leisure venues across the site before rolling out more widely
By integrating research and innovation with urban living and placemaking, the neighbourhood will be a centre for frontier approaches to health and wellbeing.
The scheme has an important role to play in cementing Newcastle's position as an exemplar of inclusive growth.
Economic ambition and growth will support neighbours, the city, the wider region and the UK as a whole.
- Research, healthcare and commercial occupiers will commit to an Employer Charter
- We will all work with schools, colleges and universities to create and promote lifelong learning pathways
- Working with entrepreneurs we will spur productivity through new technologies and practices
Partners working with us will act as anchor institutions and economic influencers. Together we will ensure that inclusive and high-quality employment opportunities are offered even beyond site boundaries.
The scheme will be designed with the local community, grounded in principles of sustainability, inclusivity and accessibility.
It will reflect the area's history and protect its relationship with the community. To meet the needs of future generations living here community provision will focus across three areas:
- New approaches to independence will ensure people are safe and healthy in a range of different environments
- Every person deserves to live a healthy life with equitable access to care and opportunities
- Welcoming, fun and fit-for-purpose spaces
Delivered well, local people and residents will contribute to the site’s success, will benefit from the neighbourhood's growth, and be proud to live or work here.
The scheme will be a shared, accessible and welcoming space. World class research facilities will be part of a liveable neighbourhood.
The following principles will guide development and operation of the site:
- Sustainability and decarbonisation
- Promoting healthy lifestyles for everybody
- Supporting connectivity with routes to and through the site
- Social spaces and interaction
Background
Since the 1960s, we’ve changed the landscape of ageing, from fundamental science through to business innovation. We're a global leader in ageing and health research and innovation.
In 2017 we purchased the former Newcastle General Hospital site from Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Our vision is to develop a health innovation neighbourhood.
The plan for the scheme was endorsed in February 2022 by Newcastle City Council. A key focus is to integrate with surrounding communities.
We formed a development joint venture with Genr8 Kajima Regeneration Ltd in March 2022. The partnership brings the University together with Kajima, the pan-European real asset developer, and leading regeneration developer, Genr8.
The facts
Promoter: NGK Ltd - a joint venture between Newcastle University and Genr8 Kajima Regeneration Ltd
Scale: £500M+ GDV
Sector: academic, office, residential, leisure
Location: Western edge of Newcastle city centre
Investment type: Development funder
Programme: 2017 – 2035
Planning status: endorsed February 2022
Description
The site comprises 20 acres of development space. Plot sizes range between 0.4 and 2.7 acres. Green space is incorporated throughout the site. Existing boundary walling is likely to be removed. This will create porous boundaries with the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Preparatory and investigative work is underway on site to assess demolition and ground engineering works.
Promoter and partnerships
Promoter, NGK Ltd, is working with a range of public and private bodies to bring forward the development. This includes:
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Newcastle City Council
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
- Northumbria University
- North of Tyne Combined Authority
- Homes England
The existing biomedical research buildings on site will remain
The site has clear plots ready for development
A mixture of building uses and ages exists on site
Nearby streets make it clear why this site must be developed as a neighbourhood
The site is in the West End of Newcastle
An illustrative masterplan showing our current thinking for the site.
A pedestrian and cycle boulevard could provide a clear route into the heart of the neighbourhood.
At the centre of the neighbourhood, the commercial boulevard opens out to create a focal community space and cultural hub.
We hope to blend the edges of the development with existing streets, breaking down physical barriers to open up walking and cycle routes.
We aim to promote walking and cycling as methods of active travelling within and through the site.
Vehicle movement on site is limited in favour of promoting active travel. We're planning a loop at the southern end of the site that will support traffic coming to, and leaving from the site.
We hope to develop green streets that are both visually pleasing and environmentally positive.