Pharmaceutical Market Europe • February 2021 • 24
RESEARCH NEWS
Significant milestone reached in redevelopment project in Manchester Science Park
A significant milestone has been reached in the development of Manchester Science Park, with work on the £21m, 91,000 sq ft redevelopment of Base now underway.
Base is set to become a new specialist hub in the city of Manchester, and will offer workspace specifically designed for companies working within science and technology businesses.
It will also be home to the new Manchester Innovation Activities Hub (MIAH), which will be delivered by The Blair Project – a STEM programme.
It will provide a highly novel community innovation activities hub and vocational training centre, which will be dedicated to upskilling, reskilling and retraining over 5,000 local residents over the next five years.
Planning permission for the project was granted in early 2020, with the project having also recently received £4m via the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as part of the UK government’s Getting Building Fund.
This funding will be used to support the region’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic – Caddick, which has been appointed as the main contractor for the project, will employ all directly appointed staff and 90% of subcontractors from within a ten mile radius of the Base.
The Base project is being developed by Bruntwood SciTech, a developer of innovation districts in the UK.
“Base will provide vital new infrastructure for some of the UK’s most innovative businesses at the cutting edge of industry,” said Tom Renn, managing director, Bruntwood SciTech – Manchester.
“It marks another stage of growth and the continued evolution of Manchester Science Park as a magnet to attract world-class science and tech businesses to the city’s specialist ecosystem.
“We’ve got a rich and deep understanding of the facilities, services and connections science and technology businesses need to form, scale and grow and a strong track record of making this happen through our unrivalled clinical, academic partner network,” he added.
Rosalind Franklin Institute hub building reaches practical completion
The development of The Rosalind Franklin Institute (RFI) has hit a key milestone, as the building which will house the hub has now reached practical completion.
The £40m building, based on the Harwell Science Innovation Campus, will now undergo specialist scientific fit-out.
The RFI is funded through the Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The hub has been delivered by construction company Mace, working in partnership with AECOM, the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the RFI.
In a statement, the RFI said that researchers will occupy the hub as soon as the laboratory fit-out and installation of research equipment is completed.
Specialist labs for imaging, mass spectrometry, structural biology and chemistry have already been designed, with the aim of promoting collaboration while prioritising efficiency in space utilisation.
“This is a building created by scientists for cutting-edge research, and we are looking forward to continuing to deliver impact for the UK,” said professor James Naismith, director of the RFI.
“The hub shows that it is possible to deliver a highly functional science building that is on budget, on time, energy efficient, a record-breaker in space utilisation and visually inspiring.
“This achievement, despite the pandemic, is entirely to the credit of the exceptional teamwork of MACE, AECOM, STFC and Franklin staff.
“Our scientists coming together in the building for the first time will deliver scientific firsts impacting across the UK nations. By doing so we will honour the legacy of our namesake Rosalind Franklin and try to be worthy of bearing her name,” he added.
“The Franklin Hub will provide an important focus within the research landscape, helping the UK to maintain a leading position in the application of novel understanding in engineering and physical sciences to transform life sciences through interdisciplinary research and technology development,” commented professor Dame Lynn Gladden, executive chair, EPSRC.