Birmingham Science Park to be split in two
THE management and delivery company for Birmingham Science Park is being restructured with the facility being carved up into two separate entities.
The park’s main Faraday Wharf building and the proposed £35m Digital Plaza development is being renamed Innovation Birmingham Ltd. The restructure will enable the value of Faraday Wharf to be utilised to part-fund iCentrum; the first Digital Plaza building.
Innovation Birmingham will encompass the science park’s existing team and remains wholly owned by Birmingham City Council, which also has full ownership of the rest of the 14-acre park.
The park will be promoted as two campuses going forward; the Innovation Birmingham Campus and the Science & Technology Campus.
The 44,000 sq ft Faraday Wharf building contains 70 office suites for entrepreneurial technology businesses, with the majority occupied. In order to provide expansion space on the Innovation Birmingham campus, before iCentrum is ready for occupation, plans are being developed for 2,000 sq ft of contemporary pod offices to be constructed on the podium car park. Subject to planning permission, the pod accommodation will be available for occupation this summer.
Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council said: “Other large science parks across the country have created campuses to profile specific activity and now we are following suit. The creation of the Innovation Birmingham campus is wholly aligned with our Smart City agenda and it will enhance the profile and importance of innovation activity taking place within the city.
“Over the past three and a half years, 70 start-up technology businesses have been launched through the Entrepreneurs for the Future business incubation programmed, based at Faraday Wharf. The growth of these innovative companies could make a real difference to the city’s economic performance and so far, over 130 new high value jobs and directorships have been created.”
Dr David Hardman, CEO of Innovation Birmingham said: “Creating the Innovation Birmingham campus represents a statement of intent. We will actively promote innovation to catalyse knowledge economy ventures, in support of Birmingham’s Smart City aspirations.
“The dynamic tech starts-ups and SMEs currently based within Faraday Wharf are testament that Birmingham is a great place to base new tech businesses. There is also a pool of highly relevant talent right on our door step, thanks to Birmingham City University, Birmingham Ormiston Academy, Birmingham Metropolitan College, Aston University Engineering Academy and Aston University itself, representing a key advantage to so many of our tenants. In addition, the cost of living and running an office is a fraction of the comparable cost of being in London.”
He said the new facility would enable greater engagement between the science park and major employers.
“The key to the success of many tech start-ups could be unlocked by established, prominent companies playing a disproportionate role in seeding local cluster development. By acting as ambassadors for the city and working more closely with inward investment agencies and Innovation Birmingham, major employers could be much more effective as magnets to attract and promote further growth and employment in the tech businesses based at the Innovation Birmingham Campus now and in the future,” he added.
