Joint venture partners British Land and AustralianSuper have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with King’s College London (King’s) – a top 10 UK ranked university – aimed at establishing a dedicated science and technology innovation campus at Canada Water.

The Zone 2 London destination is undergoing a 53-acre transformation, the most significant of its scale to be seen in the UK’s capital in a generation. This partnership establishes a framework for collaboration between the joint venture partners and King’s, supporting growth and education in science and technology innovation industries within the local area and East London community.

At an event held on 3rd July, the MoU was cemented with the official signing of the document by Emma Cariaga, joint head of Canada Water at British Land, Carl Astorri, Head of Investments Europe at AustralianSuper, and Professor Bashir M. Al-Hashimi, Vice President Innovation & Research at King’s.

Effective for five years, the MoU will deliver a long term and innovative partnership through a mix of services and collaboration opportunities. Utilising the range of commercial space available, the campus will host an ongoing programme of events, including educational talks and networking sessions. The partnership will also provide technical services to office occupiers, facilitate introductions, and share the latest research and analysis relating to key sector trends and developments, providing a valuable resource to relevant prospective occupiers and helping establish Canada Water as an inclusive and dynamic environment where science and technology innovation can flourish. 

Mike Wiseman, Head of Workspace Leasing, Innovation & Life Sciences at British Land, said: “Canada Water is undergoing a major transformation that will see trailblazing corporate occupiers drawn to the campus to participate in its exciting growth story; our strategic partnership with King’s marks a critical step in accelerating the prosperity of science and technology innovation, reinforcing our dedication to supporting these industries within our community. Collaboration and the exploration of growth opportunities is central to this Memorandum, and we look forward to working together and creating a hub of innovation at our Canada Water campus.”

Victoria Stanley, Investment Director at AustralianSuper said: “AustralianSuper seeks to invest in critical regeneration projects, such as Canada Water, which not only benefit the Fund’s Members but also the residents, businesses and communities in which we invest. The nexus of innovation and higher education, supported by public and private investment has been identified as a key driver of future UK economic growth, so it’s vitally important we support this sector by not only creating the appropriate spaces for businesses to occupy, but also establishing strategic partnerships which encourage and facilitate opportunities.

“We are delighted to be partnering with King’s to accelerate the establishment of a dedicated creative and innovation hub at Canada Water which will generate exciting growth and development opportunities within science, innovation and technology.”

Professor Bashir M. Al-Hashimi, Vice President Innovation & Research at King’s said: “King’s has ambitious and innovative plans to scale up our research commercialisation, spinouts and industry collaboration in health, science, and engineering. We are delighted that this partnership with British Land and AustralianSuper will help us to deliver this plan through a collaborative and mutually beneficial approach.””

British Land has previously signed a MoU with University College London at Regent’s Place, part of London’s thriving Knowledge Quarter in the London Borough of Camden, where the company is also collaborating with The Francis Crick Institute to create a new science and technology hub. 

The Canada Water masterplan is already home to The Paper Yard, comprising 33,000 sq ft of fitted and lab-enabled modular workspace, which has welcomed pioneering companies across the science and technology sectors. The Paper Yard was the first step in delivering Canada Water’s vision for science and technology innovation across the campus.