Planning permission was granted by Stevenage Borough Council for the scheme in August and it is scheduled to open in 2017.

The centre will be managed by innovation driver the Cell Therapy Catapult and be used to manufacture products for late phase clinical trials and commercial supply of advanced therapeutic medicinal products, including cell and gene therapies.

Keith Thompson, CEO of the Cell Therapy Catapult, said: “I am delighted that we will be working with M+W Group, to create a centre that will advance industry in the UK to become a world leader in cell and gene therapy development and commercialisation.

“The manufacturing centre will provide global scientific and medical communities with the assistance they need to convert research into products that have the potential to have a direct impact in advanced healthcare.”

Spencer Baber, Managing Director M+W Group UK said: “M+W Group is a specialist contractor for the construction of state-of-the-art facilities within the Life Sciences sector.

“We are proud to be associated with a government funded project of this specific nature which will see the UK established as the leading centre for the development of new and innovative medicinal products for the treatment of debilitating diseases such as blindness, diabetes and cancer.”

M+W Group is based in Stuttgart, Germany with a UK headquarters in Chippenham, Wiltshire.