Glencar has completed a new 56,000 sq ft life sciences research and development facility at Chesterford Research Park, expanding laboratory and innovation space within the Cambridge science cluster.

Known as the Sidney Sussex Building, the three-storey speculative development has been designed to provide flexible laboratory and office accommodation for multiple occupiers operating within the life sciences sector.

Located around 13 miles south of Cambridge, the scheme forms part of the wider 250-acre Chesterford Research Park campus and was delivered for Aviva Investors.

The building provides ten fitted R&D suites ranging from approximately 2,200 sq ft to more than 8,300 sq ft, with the flexibility to combine units for larger occupier requirements.

Each suite includes wet laboratory facilities with fitted fume hoods, specialist flooring, laboratory benching and write-up office space, alongside supporting infrastructure including high-performance HVAC systems, dedicated plant rooms, communal meeting areas and goods and passenger lifts.

The development has been engineered to support long-term adaptability, incorporating modular façade elements, demountable partitions, raised access floors and additional MEP capacity to accommodate changing occupier requirements over time.

A reinforced concrete frame was used to provide vibration resistance suitable for precision scientific equipment and laboratory use, while the building envelope combines rainscreen cladding, curtain walling and structural glazing.

Externally, the project includes EV charging infrastructure, cycle parking, waste management facilities, overflow parking and a new HV substation integrated within the wider research park setting.

Sustainability was a central focus of the scheme, which achieved BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings through an all-electric energy strategy, photovoltaic panels and low-carbon construction measures.

According to the project team, the building achieved an upfront embodied carbon figure of 659kgCO₂e/m² through the use of low-carbon concrete containing 50% ground granulated blast furnace slag.

The landscaping and ecological strategy also delivered a reported 24% biodiversity net gain through new planting, wildflower meadows, wildlife habitats and biodiversity-focused lighting design.

The project team included Hollis and Castons as project managers and quantity surveyors, BCRi as architect and HTS as engineer.