1 st
vaccine development and manufacturing centre in the UK
Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre
Of national importance for public health and future resilience, the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC) was the UK’s first vaccine development and manufacturing centre.
Located on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, the centre is stablished as one of the leading science and innovation campuses in Europe.
Key details
Project name
Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC)
Client
Harwell / VMIC
Location
Harwell, Oxfordshire
Services provided
- Landscape architecture
- Ecology
- Biodiversity Net Gain
- Arboriculture
Challenge
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic during the pre-planning stage necessitated a rapidly accelerated construction programme to bring the facility into full operation by early 2021; ahead of its original scheduled date of 2022. Mobilising quickly, and at short notice, required a change to the conventional approach.
Solution
With planning negotiations in their infancy, the UK government agreed with the local planning authority to allow construction to commence on site whilst working through the planning process. We worked closely with the local planning authority whilst developing the detailed design to allay any concerns and ensure the final scheme met wider planning considerations.
Located on a 5-acre plot within the heart of the Harwell Campus, the early establishment of a suitable and safe haul road was instrumental to achieving a quick start on site. We supported the feasibility and optioneering exercise with arboriculture and ecology inputs.
We provided Landscape Architecture, Ecology and Arboriculture services to support the pre-planning, design and construction of this 75,000sqft state-of-the-art facility. As part of these works we have developed a solution that delivers Biodiversity Net Gain.
To ensure we could continue to provide the necessary site support, we developed a strict COVID-19 Risk Assessment and acquired a Business Critical Activity permit which allowed our staff to safely undertake site inspections to facilitate programme continuity.
Result
As an advanced centre of technology. the development extends beyond a straightforward build, requiring a complex fit-out.
Essential to the successful delivery of the VMIC was a united approach adopted by the whole project team. We collaborated with the contractor, design team and local authority to ensure timely decisions on critical path matters, avoiding negative impact on the programme whilst also developing the detailed design for the external works.
The construction progressed concurrently to the planning application and the project met its accelerated delivery date.
In challenging times we are proud to use our expertise to support the fast tracked delivery of this nationally significant - and the UK’s first - vaccine development and manufacturing centre.
Craig Thomson
Operational Director
Project statistics
75000 ft2
vaccine manufacturing facility
5 -acre
site in Harwell
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