Midlands Engine chair opens new BioCity building
BioCity’s new £30m Discovery Building, providing 50,000 sq ft of high-tech biology and chemistry laboratories, has officially opened in Nottingham.
The building is expected to support more than 700 new bioscience roles in Nottingham over the next 30 years. The laboratories and office space are split across five-storeys, with ancillary space for commercial leasing for both start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses.
Addressing the assembled guests at an evening event to open the new facility, the city’s credentials in the sector and key role in the region’s high-skilled economy were highlighted by Sir John Peace, chair of the Midlands Engine.
He said: “Last November, the Government published the Midlands Engine Science and Innovation Audit. It highlighted that the Midlands leads the way in the UK when it comes to medical technologies, employing 8,000 in the sector, with 95,000 employed in related supporting sectors such as research and experimental development in biotechnology.
“The £30m Discovery building, built with support from the D2N2 LEP and Nottingham City Council, adds to the success of BioCity Nottingham, the UK’s largest bioscience incubator.
(L-R) Dr Glenn Crocker, chief executive of BioCity, vice-chancellor of Nottingham Trent University Edward Peck, Simon Hirst chief executive of Sygnature Discovery, Sir John Peace chair of Midlands Engine, Dr Louis Nisbet chairman of BioCity Nottingham, Toby Reid managing director of BioCity Group
“This building will support more than 700 new bioscience roles in the city over the next 30 years and is certain to draw the best and brightest from around the UK.”
Guests also learned more about the building’s unique ‘Corona’, sculpture, designed by artist Wolfgang Buttress. Linked to two NASA satellites, this brisle soleil both improves the energy efficiency of the building by day and by night, whilst lighting the exterior of the building through a curtain of aluminium poles which reflect the sun’s solar flare activity.
The artwork was created by Nottingham artist Wolfgang Buttress using scientific research conducted by Dr Martin Bencsik from Nottingham Trent University.
Toby Reid, managing director for BioCity Group said: “This is a state-of-the-art building which is a very welcome addition to BioCity, the UK’s fastest-growing life sciences community. We are driving innovation in Nottingham’s rich science sector and we have needed this space for some time as we have been at capacity. This is great news for the companies we have based here and in terms of attracting new tenants keen to join us and begin, or even accelerate, their own journey.
“That said, the 5,062 square ft ground floor office space will be suitable for SMEs across any sector such as professional services, recruitment companies or legal firms, for example. Our tenants don’t have to be actively working within the research or science sector to be a part of our community. The key is that they add value to our business community and can be a vital part in their success.”
Laura Jardine, surveyor for Innes England whicj are marketing the building, said: “The facilities at BioCity are ideal for businesses seeking premier commercial space in the centre of Nottingham and I expect there to be a lot of interest in these premises.
“The flexibility of the suites means that businesses can customise the four suites to suit their needs, or take the whole of the ground floor area.”
