Figures from construction businesses, Nottingham City Council and the D2N2 LEP took part in a topping out ceremony today (pictured), signalling the next stage in a £30million life sciences project.
Hundreds of highly skilled, life sciences jobs will be created and safeguarded in Nottingham, thanks to the new 50,000sq ft building on the BioCity Nottingham site on Plough Lane in the city-centre. This extension to existing facilities will give life sciences companies who are already housed at BioCity extra space to grow, as well as providing space for new businesses.It is being funded by Nottingham City Council and the D2N2 Local Enteprise Partnership (LEP).
D2N2 is the LEP for the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area. It is a partnership of businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary organisations. It works to grow it’s areas economy, with the overall aim of creating 55,000 new jobs in ten years (2013-2023).
As part of this mission, D2N2 is funding a series of projects through its Local Growth Fund allocation from Government. D2N2 gave £6.5m to the BioCity extension from this fund and it is expected that this project will create upwards of 700 jobs over 30 years, while safeguarding a further 250.
The five-storey, state-of-the-art facility will be fitted with hi-tech labs in a range of sizes to allow firms to expand, with space for commercial leasing to both start-ups, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Sygnature Discovery, a current tenant of BioCity, has already announced it will take up 30,000sq ft in the new building which will free up space in the original for other life sciences companies.
Councillor Jon Collins, the Leader of Nottingham City Council, was also at the event and said that the extension would not have been possible without D2N2 help, a statement which was echoed by Glenn Crocker, who thanked the LEP for its support in enabling the project to happen.
For more information on D2N2’s work to support life science development in its area – one of its key economic sectors – go to www.d2n2lep.org/key-sectors/life-sciences
For more information on the above release, please contact Sam Burbage, Social Media and Marketing Officer at the D2N2 LEP, on 01159 578254, or by email: sam.burbage@d2n2lep.org
