Construction of Dataworks at Kings Hall Health and Wellbeing Park complete

The first phase of development of the Kings Hall Health and Wellbeing Park has been completed and handed over to developers Benmore Octopus by construction firm H&J Martin.

Precision Medicine hub Dataworks – part of Kings Hall Life Sciences – sits adjacent to the iconic Kings Hall building and will welcome its first tenant Diaceutics, the London-listed diagnostics firm, in the coming months.

It is expected to be joined by other indigenous and global medical technology companies in the near future in a development which will provide a secure and collaborative space for companies to focus on the rapidly growing and highly valuable healthcare data market. Dataworks is in close proximity to healthcare professionals operating within the park and near Belfast’s major hospitals and universities.

It sits within Kings Hall Life Sciences, a hub for life sciences companies of all sizes, from startups to large multinationals. It will provide state-of-the-art Grade A office, laboratory and shared space within the Kings Hall Health and Wellbeing Park.

Construction of Dataworks began in late 2019 by local firm H&J Martin. The building stretches to 40,000 square feet, 10,000 square feet of which will be occupied by Diaceutics.

Funding for the development is being provided by the Department of Finance under the Northern Ireland Investment Fund, a £100m fund which provides debt finance for real estate, regeneration, low carbon and infrastructure projects. The fund is managed by CBRE’s Investment Advisory team, part of CBRE Capital Advisors.

Planning permission for the next phase of development at the iconic site has just been granted by Belfast City Council and construction is expected to begin in May this year.

The development of the Kings Hall Health and Wellbeing Park will see the iconic Kings Hall building – which has been vacant since 2013 – and surrounding site transformed into the most innovative health and wellbeing hub in the UK.

As well as Dataworks, the extended Kings Hall site - formerly the Balmoral showgrounds - will also include care for the elderly and age appropriate living, a mixed-use medical facility, a multi-storey car park and childcare nursery Malone Kindergarten.

David Burrows, Director at Benmore Octopus, said: “We are delighted to have completed construction of Dataworks. It marks a major milestone in the transformation of the site to become the Kings Hall Health and Wellbeing Park and the next step on our mission to create a hub for the global life sciences sector.

“Diaceutics’ commitment to Dataworks is testament to the location, space and collaborative potential of the site, one which will meet the needs of the growing precision medicine sector here in Northern Ireland and around the world. We look forward to welcoming others to the site and building a world-class hub capable of tackling some of the biggest medical challenges in the world today.”

Gareth Moore, Director at H&J Martin, said: “H&J Martin are delighted to deliver the Dataworks building on behalf Benmore Octopus Healthcare Developments Ltd. As design and build contractor, we feel privileged to have constructed such an integral part to an iconic development. We have no doubt all the tenants of the Dataworks will be able to enjoy the building for what it is; a world-class facility for the life sciences sector.”

Benmore Octopus is a joint venture between local developers Benmore Group and Octopus Real Estate.

The second phase of development of the Kings Hall Health and Wellbeing Park include an outline consent for additional age exclusive living, medical and life sciences accommodation, a multi-storey car park and the creation of a central plaza and further landscaping works and a detailed consent for age exclusive living.