Work starts on £17.5m National Brownfield Institute
Work has started on the £17.5m National Brownfield Institute – putting Wolverhampton and the Midlands on the map for leading the way in brownfield regeneration.
Building contractor ISG has broken ground on the site which is located on the University of Wolverhampton’s £120m Springfield Campus.
The research centre, designed by Birmingham-based Associated Architects, received planning approval in December 2020.
The scheme has benefited from £14.9m of funding from the Government’s Get Building Fund for the West Midlands.
City of Wolverhampton Council worked with the Black Country LEP and West Midlands Combined Authority to secure the funding.
The remainder of the funding required is set to come from the city’s Towns Fund award.
Geoff Layer, vice-chancellor at the University, said: “We’re delighted that this project is moving at a fast pace and we are already marking the beginning of work on site.
“The NBI will be at the heart of a West Midlands Construction Training Offer – providing the industry with the skills needed both now and in the future. As well as being at the forefront of a transformation of the way we will build homes and communities, it will also ensure that we learn from research around the world on modern construction and remediation technique.
“It will be a working model for brownfield remediation and new construction techniques that can be implemented regionally and nationally and exported around the world, building on existing expertise offered on site through the West Midlands Construction UTC, the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills and the new School of Architecture & Built Environment.”
City of Wolverhampton Council leader, CllrIan Brookfield, said: “This is a game-changing moment for the city as we break ground on the National Brownfield Institute development.
“Our planning team worked tirelessly with the University to ensure this important project for our city got on site on time at the European-leading Built Environment education Springfield Campus.
“Once the NBI is built, it will enable the City of Wolverhampton to secure its position as a world leader in sustainable construction, circular economy and brownfield development and will deliver new skills, jobs and opportunities for local people in the city.
“It is yet another sign of the confidence being shown in Wolverhampton as a place to invest, as our regeneration plans change our city and help it recover and relight from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Ninder Johal, communications and marketing board lead on the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership Board, said: “I’m delighted to join with our project partners for this key building milestone, thanks to the hard work of all our project partners, the National Brownfield Institute promises to be a world-class facility.
“The Black Country LEP is delighted to support projects such as these which are making a real positive impact on the local economy, creating jobs and supporting skills development, as our region looks to recover from the impact of the pandemic.”
The NBI project team include Associate Architects, CPW, Faithful & Gould, Delta Planning, Atkins and MACE.
The 12-acre Springfield Campus is already home to the Thomas Telford University Technical College, Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills and the recently opened £45m School of Architecture and Built Environment.
The NBI will be completed by February 2022.
