An exciting master plan to create a Medipark at Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, has been unveiled, marking months of hard work by joint venture partners Aston Science Park, Heartlands Hospital and Birmingham City Council.

The proposed £60 million Medipark will be sited on a 12 acre site adjacent to Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green after outline planning permission was received last year for 100,000 square feet of Medipark buildings and 130,000 square feet of hospital extension. 

The Medipark will create a centre of excellence for medical research, which would be the first in the UK to be situated on a hospital site, thereby offering experts direct access to a live trial environment.  The master plan has been produced by Birmingham based land planning and design consultancy company, Lovejoy. 

Lovejoy Director, Andy Williams, said:  “This has been a very interesting and challenging master planning exercise, which has had to get to grips with creating an appropriate design for an already built hospital entrance, whilst establishing an associated but separate identity for an exciting medical innovation centre, and allow for the complex phasing and construction issues involved”.

With over 20 years experience in property development, Aston Science Park is to act as developer.  Derek Harris, Chief Executive of Aston Science Park, said “This development, which is a joint venture between Heartlands Foundation Trust, Birmingham City Council and Aston Science Park, will provide a gateway to the vast medical research and expertise that currently resides in the hospital.  It will also act as an attractive focal point, for complimentary businesses in Birmingham and the West Midlands region”.

Construction work on the Medipark buildings is scheduled to be underway by late 2007. 

The Medipark will create hundreds of additional high quality research and technology posts together with many indirect opportunities.  The project is being hailed as a catalyst for the further regeneration of the East Birmingham area.

The Leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Mike Whitby, said: “Such a project will undoubtedly bring significant benefits not only to East Birmingham but the city as a whole.  Many manufacturing and engineering companies in the region are now learning to grasp the real opportunities that are available to them in the medical sector, as a result of their diversification into value-added medical devices and components. Activities at Medipark will provide them with further encouragement”.  Councillor Mike Whitby is also chairman of Birmingham Technology Ltd, the management company of Aston Science Park.  

Graham Edwards, Chief Executive of East Birmingham North Solihull Regeneration Zone said: “The development of a MediPark in the middle of the East Birmingham North Solihull Regeneration Zone demonstrates not only the confidence in Heartlands Hospital as a centre for medical research & development but also presents unique opportunities for local businesses and residents. There will be job opportunities across a range of skill levels including those that require high level skills which will be good for retaining local graduates. EBNS is proud to be a partner in making the MediPark concept a reality.’  

One of the main features of Medipark is the MIDRU (medical innovation, development and research unit).  This unit will include dedicated facilities for clinical research and will help Heartlands Hospital excel in specialist fields such as diabetes and heart disease Research within the MIDRU will be carried out by some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies into new drugs and treatments, while Heartlands Hospital’s own researchers will be working on national grant-funded projects.  Already, biotechnology experts have demonstrated an interest in using the new facility to develop new medical devices and design new projects.

The Medipark project is an exciting opportunity for East Birmingham, the City of Birmingham and the region.

For further information contact:
Matthew Hidderley, Aston Science Park on 0121 260 6168 or email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it