Cardiff University aspires to be to be in the top 20 in the UK and top 100 in the world in 5 years, and the vision is to create an exemplar estate fit for the twenty-first Century. In 2015, MCW was commissioned to carry out a feasibility study to bring together the various schools within the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, in one single campus connected to the Heath Hospital. 

The overall aim for the project is to promote health and welfare with special reference to the needs of Wales, an important role of the University and one which is fulfilled via a strongly interdisciplinary and multi-partnership approach. Central among Cardiff University’s partners in this all-Wales role is the National Health Service (NHS) in Wales, with which the University is linked at all levels. 

The College of Biomedical and Life Sciences occupies space at the Heath Hospital, across the whole of the existing estate, both in separate buildings and embedded space within the NHS. MCW’s approach to the development of the site was influenced by a number of factors, in particular; facilitating world leading science and research collaborations, delivering a high quality learning and research environment, integrating new and existing facilities together, while minimising the impact on local residential neighbours, University and the NHS Trust accommodation and operations.