This website will offer limited functionality in this browser. We only support the recent versions of major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

Burges Salmon advises The Crown Estate on Harwell East acquisition, boosting the UK’s science sector

Picture of Emma Folkes
By Emma Folkes
23 Oct 2025 2 min read

We have advised longstanding client The Crown Estate on the expansion of its science, innovation and technology portfolio with the acquisition of Harwell East—a 221-acre site adjacent to the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire. Located at the heart of the UK’s research industry, the site is of global significance and sits within the Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Arc, a key economic growth area and international hub for science, innovation and research.

This acquisition forms part of The Crown Estate’s commitment to invest up to £1.5 billion in the science sector over the next 15 years, supporting its ambition to create world-class laboratory space for the benefit of the UK. With a projected Gross Development Value of £4.5 billion, Harwell East could deliver up to 4.5 million sq ft of office, laboratory and advanced manufacturing space, alongside 400 homes—boosting national GDP by an estimated £2.5 billion and creating 30,000 jobs across the UK.

Our Real Estate team advised The Crown Estate, led by partner Emma Folkes and associate Robert White.

“This is an exciting development for The Crown Estate, reaffirming its commitment to the science sector and its ambition to ensure hubs like Oxford continue to nurture world-class research and enterprise and support the economy. Harwell East represents a unique opportunity to strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in science and innovation, and we are proud to have supported our client in delivering this strategic acquisition. Our real estate expertise, combined with multi-disciplinary support from experts across the firm, was instrumental in securing a successful outcome.”

Emma Folkes, partner

Burges Salmon’s Real Estate practice is one of the largest in the UK. Our well-established Estates and Land team advises a broad range of public and private sector bodies, landowners, investors, farmers and owners of historic estates on the full spectrum of legal issues, including property transactions, tax, estate management, environmental, finance and commercial matters.

Related services

Related articles

01
10