Construction begins on National Institute for Sport and Health in Wales

By Alexa Hornbeck | Published: 16-Feb-2026

Swansea University has started work on the £150m National Institute for Sport and Health, a hub for start-ups, research partnerships and innovation in sport and healthcare

Construction is officially underway on the four-storey National Institute for Sport and Health in Swansea. 

The £150m project is funded through the Swansea Bay City Deal, with additional support from Swansea Council and local health boards.

Willmott Dixon has been appointed as the main contractor to deliver the four-storey institute. 

Pick  Everard has been appointed project manager, working alongside architects Powell Dobson.

The institute will bring together academic, public, and commercial partners to drive growth in sport technology, medical technology, and healthcare innovation.

It will house a variety of collaborative workspaces, including an innovation centre for commercial partners, seminar and teaching areas, incubation suites, media studios, sports technology laboratories, and demonstration classrooms. 

A Health & Wellbeing Academy will also be based in the building.

Swansea’s bigger vision for science and innovation 

The specialist facilities will support start-ups, research partnerships, and commercial development, creating a real-world environment where emerging technologies can be developed, tested, and scaled. 

The building is intended to anchor a broader Science and Innovation Park in Swansea.

Project partners estimate the development will support more than 1,000 jobs locally and contribute over £150m to the regional economy by 2033. 

Work to replace the existing pavilion at the site began in January, with the institute expected to open in 2027.

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