Derby’s £12m iHub innovation centre on Infinity Park in Derby has been nominated for three awards at the East Midlands Celebrating Construction Awards.
The building, which is part of the Connect Derby portfolio of managed workspaces, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Digital Construction Project/Initiative of the Year, Sustainability Award, and Project of the Year categories. It is part of the Nottingham and Derby Enterprise Zone, which is overseen by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
D2N2 is the LEP for the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area and works with businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary organisations, with the aim of creating 55,000 new jobs in ten years (2013-2023). To help with this mission, D2N2 strategically manages the Nottingham and Derby Enterprise Zone, consisting of five sites across its area, including the Alliance Boots site, Beeston Business Park, the Nottingham Science Park and the MediPark site in Nottingham, and Infinity Park in Derby.
D2N2 is investing £12.995m in the infinity park site, from its local growth fund allocation – used for projects which will boost infrastructure and create jobs as a result – up until 2020/21. This includes the installation of a new T12 Link Road (Infinity Park Way – already in operation), the creation of sustainable transport options including walking and cycling, and linking the Infinity Park with an older employment site at Osmaston, vacated by Rolls Royce in 2007.
Infinity Park Derby is a prime, 100 acre commercial and technology park, just south of Derby city. It is a collaboration between Derby City Council, the Harpur Crewe Estate, Rolls-Royce, the University of Derby and developers Cedar House Investments, Wilson Bowden and Peveril Securities.
Derby’s iHub is a 45,000ft2 site, offering a wide range of buildings to meet different sectors’ needs and company sizes; with offices, industrial use and warehouse space of up to a million square feet. As well as 18 traditional office workspaces, the iHub provides 14 ground floor workshops for businesses and an innovative ‘iLab’, which promotes invention by enabling the rapid prototyping of a range of products and services, thanks to high-end virtual reality, 3D printing and surface microscope equipment. The building also offers a multi-purpose ‘heart space’ area, available for hosting external conferences and events, along with meeting and seminar rooms.
This development also benefits from improved access via the T12 Link Road – also known as Infinity Park Way – which D2N2 also helped by part-funding the creation of the road through the LEP’s Local Growth Fund allocation. D2N2 also has plans to make £13m worth of investment in the site over the next six years.
To win Digital Construction Project/Initiative of the Year, the iHub will need to show how digital processes have been used improved the planning, design and construction of facilities or infrastructure.
The winner of the Project of the Year award will go to a construction project or a high-profile landmark that inspires the designers, constructors and clients.
To win the Sustainability Award, judges will be looking for organisations or projects which will have a positive impact on society.
Derby’s iHub has been shortlisted along other construction projects including the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus Student Accommodation, The University of Nottingham’s Ingenuity Centre and Rushcliffe Arena Leisure Centre, amongst others.
The award winners will be announced at a black-tie award ceremony taking place at the Nottingham Belfry on Friday 19 May.
Ann Bhatti, Connect Derby manager, said:
“The iHub is a state-of-the-art facility which is being recognised by many awarding bodies across the region.
“Everybody involved in the development and management of the building is extremely proud that the building’s cutting-edge design, accommodation and facilities have been shortlisted for a further three regional awards.”
For more information on the Nottingham and Derby Enterprise Zone, visit www.d2n2lep.org/growth/enterprise-zone
For more information on D2N2’s Local Growth Fund Allocation, visit www.d2n2lep.org/local-growth-fund
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