15 July 2025

“now is the time” to work in partnership to deliver for our communities. 

In this blog, Prof Graham Lord reflects on the recent launch of the Lambeth Growth Plan:  

The launch of the Lambeth Growth Plan marks a pivotal moment, not only for our borough, but for how we harness innovation to deliver lasting economic, social and health impact. I was delighted to be part of the recent Growth Plan Roundtable and I welcome the opportunity to reflect on the role SC1 London will play in supporting the Plan’s ambitions. 

SC1 London, of which Lambeth Council is a founding partner, is a vibrant health and life sciences innovation district that brings together partners, places and talent dedicated to world-leading innovation. It is this model of collaboration that sits at the heart of Lambeth’s new ten-year vision for growth. 

The London Growth Plan sets out bold objectives for productivity, inclusivity, sustainability and global leadership – and rightly puts inclusive economic growth front and centre. The challenges - around housing, climate and inequity - are clear, but so is the opportunity.  

Lambeth is uniquely positioned to contribute to the London Growth Plan with ambitions such as advancing health and life sciences, generating jobs, attracting investment and ensuring benefits are delivered locally. At the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering, we see these ambitions come to life every day, with clinicians, engineers, patients and innovators collaborating under one roof to turn innovation ideas into impact at scale. 

The Lambeth Growth Plan also sets out clear health innovation priorities that SC1 London will catalyse - from med tech incubator space on the St Thomas’ campus, to developing the Royal Street site into London’s largest life sciences-focused scheme.  

But infrastructure and investment alone are not enough. Real transformation comes when innovation is anchored in community.  

The recent My Life SC1ence campaign is a reminder that science and healthcare are not abstract concepts - they are personal stories, woven into our neighbourhoods. 

Transformation will not be linear, but as the Lambeth Growth Plan states, “now is the time” to work in partnership to deliver for our communities.