Regeneration expert hired to deliver Innovation Village for NHS trust

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed regeneration expert Victoria Critchley to lead the development of its five-hectare Innovation Village.

The scheme will create a global location for healthcare technology at the heart of one of Europe’s largest medical establishments.

Critchley joins from Associated British Ports, the owner and operator of 21 ports with a landholding of more than 4,000 hectares. At ABP, she was responsible for the regeneration of ABP’s underutilised land across the UK.

The trust is building two new hospitals at the Leeds General Infirmary site, which will release surplus estate for regeneration.

In her new role, Critchley will oversee the transformation of the city centre site into a mixed-use scheme for companies specialising in healthcare technology to develop products and services for the UK and world markets.

The scheme will include restoration of the Old Medical School and Gilbert Scott heritage buildings and construction of new-build space.

The Innovation Village is forecast to deliver 3,000 new jobs and an economic boost of £11bn.

Critchley said: “It represents a unique opportunity for the NHS and North of England and will be a catalyst for the regeneration of Leeds city centre.

“It is a hugely exciting project and I’m looking forward to working with our partners at Leeds City Council and Leeds universities to realise the potential of this significant site.

“Leeds is one of the most attractive investment propositions in the UK with an ambitious vision for the city centre, a thriving ecosystem of start-ups and scale-ups, a growing pool of graduate talent and the greatest concentration of digital health jobs outside London and the South East.”

The Trust launched the Pop Up last September as the first phase of the Innovation Village, bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers and clinicians to transform health and social care and drive economic growth.

It has since worked with 150 companies and engaged with clinicians and entrepreneurs across Israel, Norway, Spain, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, the USA and Taiwan.

Dame Linda Pollard, chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Victoria brings extensive experience and expertise in regeneration to unlock social and economic value.

“This is a very exciting time for our trust with the development of two new hospitals to supply state-of-the-art healthcare services to people living and working in Leeds, West Yorkshire and the wider region and the creation of our Innovation Village, which will transform the latest advances in science, technology and engineering into products and services that can help solve the health and care challenges facing Britain and the world.”

Previously, Critchley was a partner in planning and development at Gerald Eve and an associate partner at DTZ and Donaldsons.

She has two decades of post-qualification experience and is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.