York Biotech Campus announces new nursery to open on site

York Biotech Campus (YBC), Yorkshire’s leading bioscience hub, has announced that Little Years Sand Hutton will open onsite in July 2026 to support the campus community and local families.

Little Years, a family-run early-years nursery group, has made a £50,000 investment in transforming the former nursery building based at the campus. The new facility will provide places for up to 55 children a day, and create 20 new local jobs, with roles including Early Years Educators and Room Leaders.

The nursery will include interlinking playrooms, age-specific spaces, sleep rooms and a specially designed child-size working kitchen to support hands on learning around nutrition. Outside, children have access to a large, dedicated garden space for outdoor play and development.

Little Years was first established in September of 2022, with the Sand Hutton location its fifth nursery in North Yorkshire for the group. It blends a variety of educational principles, including Montessori, Forest School and Steiner Waldorf, among others, to create a unique approach that puts child development at its heart.

The addition of the new nursery adds to YBC’s diverse mix of facilities for its occupiers and the community, which also includes an onsite fitness centre, restaurant and conference centre.

Liz Cashon, estates manager at York Biotech Campus, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Little Years to the campus and to support the opening of a brand-new nursery for the local community. High-quality childcare is incredibly important for the families who work here or live in the local area, and we’re looking forward to having their service onsite for those who need it. This new nursery will be a fantastic addition to the campus, and we’re proud to play a role in enabling its growth.”

Natalie Bishop, founder of Little Years, said: “We are excited to be opening a brand-new site and growing in a way that stays true to what Little Years is all about. Our approach blends the very best of elements from renowned early education styles to create a nursery environment that encourages children to be unapologetically themselves. Sand Hutton is the perfect location to serve more of our North Yorkshire community, and we look forward to integrating ourselves into the established campus. We‑already have several families enquiring about places and joining the waitlist for Sand Hutton. We can’t wait to open in July.”