A NEW UK biomanufacturing plant should be built in the north of England to bring vital investment and skills to the region, says an industry expert.

Dr Jen Vanderhoven, director of the National Horizons Centre, said the north is the ideal location for a new plant and also fits with the Government’s 'Levelling-Up' agenda.

She said: “I would love to see a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in the north. It’s not just that it would bring 250 to 300 highly-skilled, highly-paid jobs to the region with salaries two or three times the national average. “It’s also because the north does biopharmaceutical manufacturing really well. It has the skilled workforce, the history of manufacturing, and it would make economic sense as it would be cheaper to manufacture in the north."

Lakes BioScience, formed from a team of industry experts, is one such northern company looking to develop the UK’s capacity and capability in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Lakes BioSceience's planned construction of a new £350m biopharmaceuticals site in Ulverston is set to put the UK at the forefront of biomanufacturing.

Plans have been proposed to build, commission and qualify a £350m biopharmaceuticals site in Ulverston to become the 'very best biopharmaceutical manufacturing organisation' in the world.

The proposal, which was put forward in September, will see 250 new jobs created as well as a start-of-the art, fully digitised operation building.

Founding director of Lakes BioScience, Pat McIver, said: “What we are looking to do at Lakes BioScience is build a manufacturing capability for the UK in monoclonal antibodies and we are doing that in the north of England in an area known for its skills and expertise in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.

"We will build on a rich regional and national capability and create high-value jobs in the north of England in a fast-growing sector to deliver life-changing and life-saving treatments.

“Our ambition is to be the very best biopharmaceutical manufacturing organisation in the world and we have the people, here in the UK, that can make that happen.”

Dr Vanderhoven added: "“Areas such as Cumbria and the Tees Valley have key skills and knowledge embedded in their workforce through their historic links with major multinationals such as GSK and ICI.

“As a national centre of excellence for the bioscience industries, the National Horizons Centre is in a position to work with partners from across the UK and beyond. However, it would be fantastic to see a plant like this in a northern location.

“From our base in Darlington, with easy access to rail and road links, we’re right at the heart of the north and in a perfect location to provide the skills and training needs to provide the skills and training to a biomanufacturing plant.”