Life sciences in the central South: an economically strong region with a world-class natural environment and an innovative and collaborative life sciences sector

Abstract

The Southern Policy Centre is an independent think tank and policy forum for central Southern England, founded in 2014. In promoting a regional public policy debate, the SPC has sought to make the case for a regional approach to economic and social policy. Based on the current strategies of local authorities and Local Economic Partnerships it has been possible to identify a strong and coherent region: the central South. Stretching from Portsmouth to Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) and spanning the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, the central South can boast three coastal cities (Portsmouth, Southampton and BCP) with complementary economies, strong links to the rest of the UK, Europe and the world, strong universities, attractive culture, rich heritage and tourism. All are set within a superb natural environment with two national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and an ecologically rich coastline.

Our first report on the central South was published in September 2019. Since then, the Southern Policy Centre has worked with local authorities, higher and further education, business and environmental organisations to set out the challenges and opportunities of the region. Details of our work on the future of our city centres, a GreenPrint for green recovery, and the central South’s case for ‘levelling-up’ can be found on our website.

In this report, produced in collaboration with partners across the region , we examine the central South’s unsung stories: its strength in fostering and promoting the Life Sciences. We hope it will be useful to the region’s political and civic leaders in telling the story of the central South; to central government in understanding what the region has to offer the UK, and to those engaged in the regions life sciences in recognising the importance of what they do.

Acknowledgements
Sponsors of the report include: National Biofilms Innovation Centre, NIHR Clinical Research Network Wessex, University of Portsmouth, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton, Wessex Academic Health Science Network (Health Innovation Wessex). We are grateful to over 30 businesses, NHS Trusts, universities and other organisations across the south for contributing expertise to this report.

Enquiries: The Southern Policy Centre closed in July 2023. For enquires about the report, please contact the Institute for Life Sciences by emailing IfLSAdmin@soton.ac.uk.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Alexandra Mant: orcid.org/0000-0001-7169-209X

ORCID for Peter Smith: orcid.org/0000-0003-4400-6853

ORCID for John Denham: orcid.org/0000-0002-1716-5085

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