National Biosecurity Centre – Weybridge
Published 18 March 2025
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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The government will deliver a National Biosecurity Centre - a world leading science centre protecting people and animals from disease outbreaks. It will support UK trade, our food and farming sectors, protect economic growth and the prosperity of the nation.
In the Autumn 2024 budget, £208 million in funding over 2024-2026 was announced to transform the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) animal health facility at Weybridge.
Why we are doing this work
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) provides the UK with its national capability to prevent and control animal diseases. APHA’s Weybridge campus combines world-leading science expertise with specialist scientific facilities which together play a vital role in the UK’s scientific infrastructure and ability to respond to the full spectrum of biological threats, especially those posed by animal and zoonotic diseases. It is one of just 30 such sites across the world.
APHA has been protecting animal and plant health to protect people, the economy, and the environment for over a century, and to ensure it can continue to do this in the face of increasing threats from animal diseases, it needs to upgrade its existing facilities to combat these growing threats.
Animal diseases have major impacts on human health and Covid has made the links between animal and human health even starker, highlighting the need for 21st century facilities, where we can continue to strengthen our understanding of animal diseases to safeguard animal and public health and underpin our pandemic preparedness.
The National Biosecurity Centre will provide essential research, surveillance and outbreak response to help stop diseases like foot and mouth disease, avian influenza (bird flu), bovine TB and the bluetongue virus damaging the UK. Animal diseases are a risk to humans and animals. The world-leading animal health science expertise at Weybridge helps the UK to identify and respond to dangerous diseases, including epidemics and pandemics, conducting crucial research into disease prevention, treatment and decontamination.
Without investment it will result in the loss of national capability, which does not exist elsewhere in the UK. This demonstrates the government’s commitment to the UK Biological Security Strategy and to protect UK health, and support economic growth – including trade, food supply and the farming sector.
Next steps
We are working with world leading experts in the field of design and delivery of specialised biocontainment science facilities. Work has started already to transform the site and prepare the way for a state-of-the-art scientific facility which will serve the UK into the future, with construction expected to begin in 2027 and the new facility open in 2033.
The plans for the National Biosecurity Centre are being developed in partnership with the local community. We are also working with the local community to support projects that improve our shared local environment and Defra has recently let land and buildings to Holme Farm Community Workshop and Gardens. The initiative provides a hub where local people can connect with each other and with nature to support each other and their physical and mental health.
More information
You can keep up to date with progress by following the APHA science blog.