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What is going on with the UKHSA lab in Harlow, Essex?

What is going on with the UKHSA lab in Harlow, Essex?
April 23, 2025



Lewis AdamsBBC Information, EssexWhat is going on with the UKHSA lab in Harlow, Essex?Public Health England An artist's impression of the aerial view of how the project would look. It is a large site with several big, white industrial buildings. It is based on a sprawling industrial estate and has trees and grass on one side.Public Well being EnglandSkyrocketing prices and adjustments in executive have stalled the challenge in HarlowTucked away on an business property in Essex is a development that would in the future space probably the most global’s deadliest pathogens.Masses of hundreds of thousands of kilos were spent developing probably the most UK’s maximum secretive new analysis centres, however the challenge in Harlow has been in limbo since March 2023.First of all anticipated to price £530m and open in 2021, the federal government put the challenge on ice when that estimate skyrocketed to £3.2bn.With uncertainty proceeding to cloud what used to be as soon as touted as a “large step ahead for UK public science”, the BBC takes a have a look at the place it went incorrect.What used to be the plan?The challenge used to be born out of issues in regards to the high-containment laboratories in Porton Down in Wiltshire, and Colindale in north London.Those websites are very important for detecting and learning probably the most bad pathogens, together with Ebola and Covid-19.However they’re growing older, nearing the tip in their operational lives and wish changing with amenities have compatibility to stop the following pandemic.What is going on with the UKHSA lab in Harlow, Essex?A lab technician wearing a white jacket, purple gloves and protective glasses while preparing samples. He has fair hair and is sitting at a desk.Researchers throughout the Porton Down laboratories analyse doable threats to societyAfter years of deliberations, it used to be Harlow that used to be introduced as the house for a brand new nationwide built-in hub for public well being science in 2015.The city’s Conservative MP on the time Robert Halfon celebrated it as a transfer that may create 1000’s of jobs.To make it paintings, 900 staff would relocate from Wiltshire to Essex to start the transition.But the federal government frame accountable for overseeing the challenge saved converting.It used to be first mooted by means of the Well being Coverage Company, which used to be outmoded in 2013 by means of Public Well being England (PHE), which then become the Nationwide Institute for Well being Coverage (NIHP) in 2020.The challenge used to be rebranded the “science hub” programme when it fell on the door of the newly-created UK Well being Safety Company in 2021, which changed the NIHP.The entire whilst, the cost saved creeping up and up.How a lot has this price?The challenge used to be estimated to price £530m when it used to be introduced by means of the chancellor on the time, George Osborne, sooner than being revised later that 12 months to £888m.A website owned by means of the pharmaceutical corporate GlaxoSmithKline, in west Harlow, used to be bought by means of PHE for £30m to get the ball rolling in 2017.3 trade instances had been drawn up for the advance, however the executive hasn’t ever given any of them complete approval.The plot at the business property continues to be made up of redundant, unused, places of work.What is going on with the UKHSA lab in Harlow, Essex?Large emerald buildings that were once home to GlaxoSmithKline in Harlow. There is grass and tall trees at the entrance, which has a pathway leading to it.The GlaxoSmithKline development stays upstanding 8 years after PHE purchased itMore than £400m has been spent at the challenge up to now, in line with a Nationwide Audit Place of business (NAO) document, however no paintings has taken position since March 2023.In spite of this, the BBC can divulge between that date and February 2025, UKHSA has forked out an additional £3.3m at the dormant land.That comes with £1.1m on safety, £1m on application expenses and £698,000 on upkeep, printed beneath the Freedom of Knowledge Act.Lately’s price of the entire challenge is estimated to be £3.2bn, a determine greater than 500% upper than the preliminary forecast.Talking at a Area of Commons public affairs committee in Might 2024, Dame Meg Hillier mentioned there have been “no duty” for the rise.What’s going on now?What is going on with the UKHSA lab in Harlow, Essex?PA Media Wes Streeting, a clean-shaven man with short dark hair, wears a light blue shirt and black coat, and is speaking while looking away from the camera.PA MediaHealth Secretary Wes Streeting says the challenge has been “plagued” by means of delays for too longNo development paintings is happening on the website, which is being maintained by means of workforce to stay it protected.The federal government has been taking into consideration choices for its high-containment laboratories and whether or not development a brand new one continues to be viable.It estimates if the Harlow centre is constructed, it’s going to no longer open sooner than 2036 – some 15 years overdue.8 civil servants are operating at the challenge, however their fingers are tied whilst they wait to listen to if the federal government nonetheless needs to head forward with it.The NAO document mentioned “doubts have emerged” about its viability inside the Division of Well being and Social Care.It printed DHSC ministers had requested UKHSA to believe if upgrading the prevailing websites in Porton Down and Colindale could be more cost effective.A UKHSA spokesman mentioned workforce had been “hoping for a choice within the coming months”.The problem used to be remaining raised in Parliament in March, when Well being Secretary Wes Streeting used to be requested in regards to the delays.”[This] has been operating across the machine goodbye that it’s now utilized in a case learn about for senior civil servant recruitment,” he mentioned.”The worst choice is indecision.”It has plagued us for too lengthy and I am hoping we will be able to quickly report to the home with a choice on that for everybody’s get advantages.”

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