Work has started on a new nuclear research facility thanks to more than £9 million funding investment by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
The funding – £6.875m from D2N2’s Getting Building Fund and £2.2m from our Growing Places Fund – will support 100 companies in its first five years through the Fit For Nuclear supply chain development programme. Some 94 jobs will be created during the construction phase, with a further 70 in the first five years of operation.
The Nuclear AMRC Midlands research and development facility (NAMRC) will provide near 47,000 sq ft of new floorspace dedicated to research and development, positioning Derby and the wider D2N2 region as a key advanced manufacturing and innovation hub for the UK nuclear sector.
Based at Infinity Park Derby, the NAMRC is set for completion within the next year and will benefit from its proximity to Rolls-Royce – which is working on mini-nuclear power stations around a tenth of the size of conventional nuclear plants, which could one day generate enough power for around one million homes.
It is also within 20 minutes drive of global manufacturers Toyota, Alstom and JCB, and will benefit from a proposed new £60 million junction on the A50, speeding up routes leading to the M1 and neighbouring towns and cities.
Elizabeth Fagan CBE, Chair of D2N2 LEP, said: “Our region has a long and proud history of powering the nation.
“Our investments into Infinity Park and the Nuclear AMRC will play a critical role in developing clusters of highly productive and sustainable businesses that will drive the UK’s green revolution.
“Developing energy technologies, like nuclear, will play a crucial role in delivering the UK’s zero-carbon ambitions and ensuring we generate clean and sustainable energy for our future generations.”
Infinity Park Derby
The D2N2 LEP has invested £12.9 million from our Local Growth Fund into the construction of Infinity Park.
Infinity Park is a 100 acre commercial and technology park, located just south of Derby city centre and forms part of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Enterprise Zone.
At Infinity Park’s heart is the iHub, an £11.8m ‘Centre for Supply Chain Innovation in Transport Engineering’; which specialises in hosting research and technology firms relating to the aerospace, automotive and rail sectors.
Development of the new Nuclear AMRC Midlands facility within the Enterprise Zone follows a successful pilot programme at Infinity Park’s Connect iHub, which is now home to 15 engineers and support staff collaborating between the University of Derby and Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire companies.
