RPC is advising pharma giant AstraZeneca on the development of and move to new purpose-built headquarters in Cambridge. 

The firm is acting as sole adviser on the project, which covers all acquisition, construction and planning-related issues for the new £330m base. RPC's team is being led by real estate head Martin Barrett, with the construction aspects handled by partner Stephen Malley. 

The firm has been advising on the move since March when it was initially retained to advise on the creation of the research and development centre.

The new base will be home to roughly 2,000 highly skilled workers by 2016, and will replace AstraZeneca's London headquarters. 

"This is one of the largest deals in the market at the moment, and is part of the growing trend towards establishing Cambridge as a life sciences hub," said Barrett.

"This new facility will have state-of-the-art technology and AstraZeneca's move is further recognition that Cambridge is becoming a pre-eminent location for the life sciences industry."

RPC has recently been looking to bulk up its commercial team in areas such as real estate, and in March sealed the hire of SJ Berwin's Anthony Shatz, a corporate transactional lawyer with a particular focus on the real estate sector.