The London Cancer Hub in south London's Sutton borough is to get a £1bn extension. Insurance firm Aviva's investment arm and development firm Socius have applied for planning permission on a 12-acre site near the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and The Royal Marsden Hospital.[1][2][3] The project will provide 1 million square feet of laboratory and research space, including large facilities for pharmaceutical companies, flex labs for start-ups, wet labs, GMP facilities and offices.[1][7] It is expected to create 3,000 new jobs, mostly in high-skilled R&D and small-scale life sciences manufacturing, with the entire hub supporting 13,000 jobs and contributing £1.2 billion a year to the UK economy.[3] The expansion includes restaurants, cafes, a nursery school, affordable housing for around 220 key workers and a Learning Lab for science and technology education.[2][3] The project supports London Mayor Sadiq Khan's growth plan, which identifies it as a key district for the creation of 150,000 jobs by 2028.[1] The application was submitted following extensive community consultation and a decision is expected in 2025.[2]