The Innovation Districts Panel is keen to provide thought leadership in how we might define innovation districts in London in the future and how we might best provide for their success, in a sustainable manner.

The Panel’s thoughts are that there will be ever more places seeking innovation district profile/branding and it will be important for there to be an opportunity for this. The concept can stretch beyond those places where world-leading research institutions are based. If we are serious in our intent to build innovation capacity and opportunity for Londoners, we need an evolving approach that recognises that innovation is vital for all in a fast-changing world. Through research, we will be seeking a more inclusive approach to what may be relevant, and look to find good practices through place-making that may help people and businesses reinvent themselves, and try new ideas and ways of working.

Our discussions have focussed on how local authorities might best seek to provide affordable workspace, best provide for what their districts might need to realise their potential, and how to be progressive in building talent and skills. The net zero carbon agenda needs to be in our thinking too.  With anticipated growth in the life sciences in London, net zero will be particularly challenging in the laboratory space. We have therefore put a workstream in place to look at what metrics might best be used to assess construction and use sustainability and how best practices might evolve to enable aspirations in these areas to be realised.

 

At this point, key topic areas and recommendations identified include: