Full planning consent granted for Snowsfield Quarter

Full planning consent for Snowsfields Quarter has been granted after Southwark Council and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation agreed the S106 on the site.

Located next to Guy’s Hospital at the heart of the SC1 London Health and Life Sciences Innovation District, Snowsfields Quarter will deliver approximately 360,000 sq ft of multi-functional space, including 245,000 sq ft of cutting-edge laboratory facilities for pioneering research in fields such as medical technology, genetics, and neuroscience, combining biology and medicine to generate the knowledge we need to understand, diagnose and treat diseases.

The application was delivered in partnership with Reef & Partners and Oxford Properties following several years of collaborative work with the wider project team, the local community and Southwark Council.

The project is a key part of delivering SC1 London’s new strategy to unlock inclusive growth in Southwark. The government’s recent Industrial Strategy Life Sciences Jobs Plan¹ showed that over 56,000 people were employed in life sciences in London alone, with companies in the capital turning over £33.9bn in 2023/24. With 66,000 additional jobs in priority occupations to be created in the sector between 2025 and 2035, Snowsfields Quarter will help deliver SC1 London’s strategy to position the district as a premier destination for health, life sciences, and technology.

Snowsfields Quarter will provide opportunities for communities in Southwark to access the life sciences sector, creating new jobs, re-skilling and training to equip the workforce of the future, as well as through partnerships with local schools, colleges and universities. SC1 London is committed to ensuring local communities shape and benefit from health and life sciences and has already expanded its My Life SC1ence work experience programme across Lambeth and Southwark for residents aged 16-24 who are not currently in education, employment or training.

Laurie Lee, Chief Executive at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation, said:

“Snowsfields Quarter has the potential to be transformative for Southwark, creating high-quality jobs for people living locally as well as delivering research that can improve health outcomes for everyone.

“The Foundation has been investing in heathier lives for Southwark and Lambeth residents for over 500 years. This development will contribute to ensuring the SC1 London Health and Life Sciences Innovation District continues to attract cutting edge science, technology and life sciences companies to the area.”

Councillor Alexandra Austin, Executive Member for New Homes and Public Works at the London Borough of Southwark, said:

“Snowsfields Quarter is a great opportunity to establish this part of our borough as a world-leading health and life-sciences district, but more than that, our Section 106 agreement with developers will provide a range on benefits for local people.

“From the creation of 890 jobs, which we will support local people to get access to, and a significant boost in the local economy, to S106 funds for improvements to Guy Street Park, environmental works to the neighbouring estate to increase green space and improve security, and a re-provided theatre space and pub to bring in more nighttime economy to the area, we have ensured SC1 London will be create new jobs and high-quality spaces in a neighbourhood designed to support health and wellbeing.

“We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to realise the long-term benefits that Snowsfields Quarter will deliver, ensuring that local communities and businesses help shape, and benefit from, the opportunities created by growth in the health and life sciences sector.”

 Professor Graham Lord, SC1 London Co-Chair, Executive Director of King’s Health Partners and Senior Vice-President, Health & Life Sciences at King’s College London said:

“This is a positive step forward for SC1 London. These world-class facilities support our shared ambition to drive medical innovation and advance research that improves health outcomes for communities across south London and beyond.

“As well as providing space for cutting-edge research and discovery, developments across the district have huge potential to support inclusive growth, creating opportunities for local communities to shape and benefit from the growth of the health and life sciences sector.”

1. Life Sciences Jobs Plan (July 2026)