Government funding will deliver a state-of-the-art biosecure scientific campus in Surrey, futureproofing the UK’s animal disease detection and containment capability through new high-containment laboratories and cleanroom facilities.
The UK Government has announced a record £1 billion investment in a new National Biosecurity Centre (NBC), significantly enhancing the country’s capability to prevent and respond to future pandemics and biological threats.
The facility, to be built in Surrey, will become the UK’s foremost animal biosecurity campus and a critical component of the nation’s security infrastructure.
The investment, confirmed on Tuesday 24 June, represents a major element of the Government’s forthcoming National Security Strategy.
The UK Government has announced a record £1 billion investment in a new National Biosecurity Centre
It signals a marked step change in how the UK protects public health, food security and economic resilience against biological risks.
The initiative also aligns with wider ambitions to drive job creation, skills development and economic growth through high-value scientific infrastructure.
Animal disease outbreaks pose a growing threat to both public health and the economy, with approximately 60% of known human infectious diseases and 75% of emerging infectious diseases originating in animals.
Without modern, high-containment biosecurity infrastructure, disease incursions could seriously disrupt farming, rural communities and supply chains.
The new National Biosecurity Centre will be constructed at Weybridge, Surrey
The UK’s livestock and animal product export market alone is valued at £16 billion annually.
The new National Biosecurity Centre will be constructed at Weybridge, Surrey, home to the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA).
APHA, an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), operates the UK’s primary high-containment animal health laboratories and leads national surveillance and response to animal disease outbreaks.
APHA plays a crucial role in safeguarding animal and plant health, food safety, and public health across the country.
Preparatory work at the Weybridge site is already underway
The build journey
Preparatory work at the Weybridge site is already underway. Planning consent has been secured and a contractor appointed to deliver the main new facilities.
Interim laboratory buildings, designed to maintain essential scientific operations during the site’s redevelopment, will be completed in 2027 and 2028.
Main construction works are scheduled to begin in 2027, with the full National Biosecurity Centre expected to become live and operational by 2033/34.
The substantial funding injection will deliver state-of-the-art laboratories and biosecure cleanroom facilities designed to detect, monitor, and control high-risk animal diseases such as avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and African swine fever.
Planning consent has been secured and a contractor appointed to deliver the main new facilities
The investment will also futureproof the UK's capacity to manage concurrent disease outbreaks and adapt to growing biological risks linked to climate change and global trade.
Alongside its animal health remit, the new centre will contribute to a national network of biosecurity laboratories established under the UK Biological Security Strategy.
This integrated network will formalise collaboration between the UK Health Security Agency, APHA, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, strengthening the UK’s sovereign capability to respond to a broad spectrum of biological threats, including those from hostile actors.
The new centre will contribute to a national network of biosecurity laboratories established under the UK Biological Security Strategy
The Government has acknowledged the urgent need to replace the ageing Weybridge facilities, which have suffered from chronic underinvestment and increasing operational pressure amid rising disease threats.
The new National Biosecurity Centre will ensure the UK retains world-leading scientific expertise and infrastructure to lead international efforts in disease prevention and biosecurity for decades to come.
The announcement marks a decisive move to bolster the UK’s resilience against biological risks, while underpinning the nation’s food security, public health, and economic stability in an increasingly interconnected and unpredictable global landscape.
Top image: National Biosecurity Centre
