£5m expansion plan unveiled for Keele Science Park
NEW plans have been unveiled for the £5m expansion of a Staffordshire science and business park.
The IC5 Innovation Centre at Keele University Science and Business will provide 30,129 sq ft of new Grade A office and workshop accommodation.
The first new lease facility built on this scale in Staffordshire for seven years, the site is being developed in partnership between Keele University and Staffordshire County Council and is expected to create more than 130 jobs, stimulating inward investment and attracting international companies looking to move to the region.
The building, which has a BREEAM rating of ‘very good’, has been designed by the county council to appeal to growing high-tech research and development companies. Three floors of flexible open plan units are on offer, ranging from 1,000 sq ft, including one floor specifically designed for bespoke client fit-out of high quality laboratory or workshop space.
Designed to accommodate growing businesses in the long-term, IC5 will be split into three blocks. The park is now bidding to attract larger companies looking to establish their headquarters in Staffordshire.
The firms will be able to lease or buy a whole block, giving them their own building with a dedicated entrance. Alternatively, each block can be modified to suit multi-let smaller units. All three floors will feature state-of-the-art specification with fibre optic internet connectivity.
New tenants to the site will be given access to all academic and research facilities at the university, offering pioneering start-ups, spin-outs and growing international organisations a valuable resource.
Keele already houses four flagship innovation centres and the Nova Centre – an enterprise hub for start-up businesses. The site is home to local, national and international companies and is currently home to 42 businesses including Siemens, Koko Digital, Internet Central, Inspired Film & Video and NanoTherics.
The IC5 development will mark the start of a 70-acre expansion at the business park with the aim of luring new tenants.
Caroline Mairs, Head of Keele Unversity Science and Business Park, said: “Over recent years we have seen a steady demand for office space here at Keele and every one of our existing properties has been in great demand since its opening, so it’s the right time to be entering our next phase of growth with the development of Innovation Centre 5.
“We’re pleased to be working in partnership with the county council in developing the site, which will attract investment in the region by creating a convenient and thriving location for growing businesses.”
Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, added: “This new development is essential to the continued regeneration of the area and will help to generate inward investment.”
