Life Science REIT (LABS)

LABS is a real estate investment trust focused on delivering strong total returns from a portfolio of properties leased to tenants operating in the UK life science sector. The company buys and develops properties specifically in the so-called Golden Triangle of Oxford, Cambridge, and King’s Cross in London - the beating heart of the UK’s world-leading life science industries. In this interview we speak to manager Simon Farnsworth about the advantages of having a specialist focus in real estate; how the specific demands of life science tenants create greater opportunity to unlock value through asset management of its estate; how the company balances acquisition and development in regions facing extreme planning challenges; and why government support for UK life sciences and the proximity to leading academic institutions in its target regions is creating a long-term tailwind.