Council plans 35,000 sq ft extension to science park

Nottingham City Council is planning to kick start the next phase of Nottingham Science Park after appointed advisers to bring forward another building on the site.

The Council has appointed real estate adviser Bilfinger GVA on a demand study and conceptual scoping of the proposed 35,000 sq ft new building, No 2.

Owned and operated by Nottingham City Council, the science park currently provides 270 000 sq ft of business accommodation across its campus, adjacent to the University of Nottingham.

Outline planning consent is already in place for a much wider extension including the proposed No 2 Building, which can ultimately accommodate three additional buildings and will sit next to the existing Highfields Centre, Central College and No.1 Nottingham Science Park.

Carl Potter, National Head of Offices at Bilfinger GVA, said: “Part of our role is to advise Nottingham City Council on the best way of configuring the space within this proposed phase of the development, based on current markets.

“This could include advice on the physical layout of the building, from the number of floors to the individual size of suites and spaces, whether the proposed spatial planning will work effectively, and the level of internal fit-out. Following this, we will be providing some conceptual development advice and working with Nottingham City Council to advise on a brand for the new buildings.

“This is a great appointment which utilises our existing experience in the science park sector and assists in the ongoing expansion of our services into the East Midlands market. As has been well documented over the recent past the need to improve the variety of accommodation available to serve the wider science community, and to enable a full engagement of research, and knowledge sharing and dissemination is crucial to providing a well-rounded offering to the sector.”

Last week TheBusinessDesk.com exclusively revealed that planning permission has been granted by Nottingham City Council to change No.1 Nottingham Science Park from office space to a new college. The move will see Kaplan International Colleges (KIC) take 16,455 sq ft of space in partnership with the University of Nottingham to create The University of Nottingham International College.

Some 52 jobs will be created at the new college.