Built in 1894, the Old Medical School (OMS) on Thoresby Place, adjacent to the iconic Gilbert Scott Building on Great George Street, is a Grade II* listed landmark set to be transformed into a cutting-edge health tech innovation hub by Scarborough Group International (SGI). This redevelopment marks the first phase of the Innovation Village – part of the £2 billion Leeds Innovation Arc and a flagship initiative of the £160 million West Yorkshire Investment Zone.
SGI will begin construction later this year, reimagining the 75,000 sq ft heritage building into a world-class environment for collaborative innovation. Designed to bring together clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors, the refurbished OMS will offer flexible lab and office space, co-working areas, meeting rooms and event spaces – all tailored to support the rapid development and adoption of breakthrough health technologies.
As the future home of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Innovation Pop Up, the Hub will act as a gateway for start-ups and scale-ups to engage directly with the NHS and accelerate innovations into clinical use. The project exemplifies the region’s growing strength in health tech, supported by the “triple helix” partnership of academia, industry and the public sector. It is expected to catalyse the creation of over 240 health tech jobs and generate significant economic and healthcare benefits for the region.
More than a building, the OMS innovation hub will serve as the beating heart of West Yorkshire’s connected health tech ecosystem – designed to retain talent, attract global investment and provide a platform for meaningful NHS–industry collaboration.