Long-awaited blueprints for a "world-leading" cancer research hub in Belmont have been unveiled.

The London Cancer Hub is proposed to include an expansion of the existing Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) as well as a new secondary school, shops, cafes and hotel space for patients and families.

The science campus would be the second biggest of its kind in the world, create more than 13,000 jobs and double the space available for cancer research, which could see the ICR increase deliver at least two extra cancer drugs every five years.

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In a joint announcement, Sutton Council and the ICR said the hub would "bring together 10,000 scientists, clinical and support staff in a vibrant community of collaborating organisations served by research, educational and leisure facilities".

They added: "It will be a hotbed for talent, offering research and development space for biotech, pharma and software companies, and equipment manufacturers."

It will take about 20 years and £1 billion to finish the revamp of the 265,000 sq m site, which Sutton Council expects to generate £5m in business rates per year.

The council will look to private investors, low interest loans and grants to pay for the hub.

The plan also calls for improved transport links to and from the site, including extending the Tramlink from Wimbledon to Sutton and improving Belmont station.

Sutton Council leader Ruth Dombey said: “The London Cancer Hub will do for South London what Tech City has done for East London. 

“It will create thousands of employment and training opportunities for local people and we will be supporting young people to get into the sector by facilitating the building of a school on the site which specialises in the life sciences.

“There will also be a tremendous boost for our local economy, with business opportunities generated by the workforce and visitors, and the development of transport infrastructure needed to support the world-leading site.”

Professor Paul Workman, chief executive of the ICR London, said: “The ICR and The Royal Marsden are already world leaders in cancer research and treatment, but by working with the London Borough of Sutton and the Greater London Authority, we aim to take our facilities and outputs to a new level. 

“The ambition is to discover more innovative cancer drugs, to run more clinical trials and to partner with industry to take even more treatments to patients.”

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Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the proposed cancer hub would be a “real coup” for London and “would help to ensure that the capital remains on the frontline of developing new treatments to cure the disease”.

The council said the aim was to fund the hub through “a combination of private investment, government grants, philanthropy and commercial rental income”.

But the plan to build a ‘life-science focused’ secondary school on the site has proved troublesome.

The council bought land on the Sutton Hospital site for £8 million in March last year to build the school but its hopes were damaged when free-school provider Greenshaw Learning Trust and the Education Funding Authority said the land was too small.

Despite interest from other school providers the council is yet to announce who will build the school.

In September last year the council held consultation events at the ICR before commissioning a feasibility study in December.

The Greater London Authority and Epsom and St Helier Hospital NHS Trust have also backed the plan.

The masterplan will be put out for public consultation later this month as part of the councils overall local plan.