Ashby Capital and Native Land have landed a single tenant for all 70,000 square feet of their redevelopment of 105 Judd Street in the heart of the Knowledge Quarter in London's King's Cross.
LifeArc, advised by Savills, is under offer to take the space as there has been a clear increase in named requirements for life sciences lab space in recent weeks.
LifeArc is a self-funded, not-for-profit medical research organisation, which is based at 7-12 Tavistock Square. It was established in 2000 as part of the Medical Research Council and as of December 2023 its investment portfolio was valued at £1.13 billion.
The duo gained consent in 2022 for a project that aims to meet the increasing demand for flexible and adaptable laboratory and office space from life sciences and technology business. The building has a "lab-enabled" specification for "easy conversion" of floors from offices to labs. Seventy-five percent of the existing fabric has been retained and restored while a two-storey extension increased the available net floor area from 55,000 to 70,000 square feet.
The development is close to the Francis Crick Institute, Wellcome, University College London, British Library, Alan Turing Institute and British Medical Association. It includes outdoor terraces for office users as well as 152 cycle parking spaces in the basement, public realm improvements and a public café at ground level.
The development was designed by Stiff + Trevillion Architects and will feature all-electric building services, targeting a BREEAM Outstanding rating.
Cushman & Wakefield and Knight Frank are leasing agents. Savills is advising LifeArc.