ASR Dutch Science Park Fund acquires second office and laboratory building at Leiden Bio Science Park

a.s.r. real estate acquired, on behalf of the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund, the SL Plaza office and laboratory building at Leiden Bio Science Park from Caransa Groep B.V. on 6 January 2025. This is the second building the fund has purchased in a short period at the renowned Leiden Bio Science Park. In December 2024, the fund already acquired the Avery Dennison European HQ office and laboratory building.

SL Plaza Office and Laboratory Building
The SL Plaza office and laboratory building is located at Darwinweg 24 at Leiden Bio Science Park and consists of approximately 2,200 m² of offices and 3,900 m² of laboratories (ML2). Behind the building is a secured parking lot with 83 parking spaces. Tenants include Hogeschool Leiden and three biopharmaceutical companies: Eurofins, Charles River, and Pharming. These companies are part of the Leiden Bio Science Park community, one of the key European life sciences hotspot of Europe.

Martin Kraaij, fund director of ASR Dutch Science Park Fund, said: “Part of our strategy is to make a positive impact on the ecosystems of science parks with our investments. Science parks are unique places where leaders in the knowledge economy work on new solutions and innovations for our society. Our goal is to have a suitable real estate solution for every business profile. We also facilitate business growth because we know that start-ups and scale-ups will continue to grow.”

Positive Impact on the Ecosystem
With the acquisition of SL Plaza, the fund has the opportunity to make a positive impact on the ecosystem of the Leiden Bio Science Park. The tenants support various Sustainable Development Goals, such as 'good health and well-being' and 'quality education,' and add value to the ecosystem. The building is largely rented to multinationals active in the biopharmaceutical sector, contributing to insights, components, and products that promote better health and well-being. Hogeschool Leiden rents laboratory space and collaborates with other organizations at the science park.

a.s.r. real estate was represented by Cushman & Wakefield in this transaction on behalf of the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund. CBRE advised the selling party, Caransa Groep B.V.

Leiden Bio Science Park
SL Plaza is located at Leiden Bio Science Park, the most developed knowledge cluster in the Netherlands in the field of Life Science & Healthcare, with a strong international reputation. The clustering of top education, research, healthcare, and business organisations brings students, researchers, and business people from all over the world to Leiden.

More About the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund
The ASR Dutch Science Park Fund invests in commercially exploitable real estate at science parks in the Netherlands. This actively contributes to the development of the Dutch knowledge economy. Investments in commercial real estate can contribute to the local ecosystem of science parks. Additionally, it offers companies the opportunity to be physically closer to new technology and knowledge. This promotes the development of new knowledge into products and services that benefit society. The ASR Dutch Science Park Fund focuses on institutional investors. ASR Nederland N.V. is the anchor investor.