Boris Johnson's right-hand-man Kit Malthouse visited Sutton this week to look at some of the pioneering health facilities in the area.

Mr Malthouse, London's deputy mayor for business and enterprise, came to town to tour Sutton's Life Science Cluster - made up of The Institute for Cancer Research, The Royal Marsden NHS and Epsom and Sutton Hospital - and find out more about what goes on there.

The cluster is being developed by Sutton Council along with the three facilities involved and aims to build on the groundbreaking cancer research done in the area.

There is up to 90,000 square metres of floorspace that can be developed across the sites and the council is aiming to promote this to other researchers in a project dubbed Sutton for Life.

Councillor Ruth Dombey, leader of Sutton Council, said: "We are working hard to promote our exciting life sciences offer.  Our ambition is to increase the number of life science related organisations located here and bring new jobs to Sutton.

"The potential for further innovation and partnership working is huge and it would certainly put Sutton on the map.

"The benefits to us as a borough, and the rest of London, would be immense."

Coun Jayne McCoy, chairwoman of the housing, economy and business committee added: "Sutton has a proud tradition of healthcare, research and innovation and can claim great achievements in these fields.

"Our ambition for Sutton for Life has already generated a great deal of interest from residents, partners, businesses and government.

"As well as supporting world-class research - which will benefit people across the world - the project would create new jobs and boost Sutton’s economy."

 

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