£300m MIRA redevelopment gets green light
THE £300m redevelopment of advanced engineering, research and test facility MIRA has moved a stage closer with planning permission being granted for the scheme.
The planning committees of Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and North Warwickshire Borough Council have both given the scheme the green light.
MIRA said it now intended to move swiftly forward with the project, which will transform the site into a 1.5 million sq ft technology park.
Andy Macdonald, Development Director for MIRA Technology Park Ltd, said: “Clearing this final hurdle in the planning process means that our discussions with investors and potential tenants can now move into the next phase.
“Our ambition to create Europe’s most advanced independent transport technology facility within a newly created Enterprise Zone has unsurprisingly attracted significant attention. We are now progressing our funding and delivery strategy for the start of construction on the first phase.”
Planning consent follows a string of successes for MIRA in recent months, notably in securing Enterprise Zone status for the site. It has also been successful in securing a £19.4m Regional Growth Fund (RGF) contribution to help finance essential road and infrastructure changes.
The redevelopment, which will create more than 2,000 jobs, is central to MIRA’s growth plans and is attracting interest from companies in emerging markets including China, India and Brazil which are looking for a site with ready access to both the test facilities and engineering expertise to bring a new generation of vehicles to market.
Terry Spall, MIRA Technology Park Commercial Director, added: “Business rate relief, advantageous planning regulations and the opportunity to occupy the new, purpose-built hybrid buildings have created an exceptionally strong demand from companies looking to locate here.
“However, MIRA’s unique offer is of greatest benefit to a highly specialised customer base and we will be striving to create a true transport technology cluster that encourages synergies and develops associated mutual benefits for our tenant businesses.”
The campus spans a total of 1.75 million sq ft and incorporates MIRA’s new 538,000 sq ft engineering headquarters. Specialist hybrid buildings will replace current outdated infrastructure and central amenities – including a 100 bed hotel, retail and leisure facilities – which will be integrated into extensive landscaped grounds to serve the growing on-site workforce.
