Construction of Derby’s £200 million high-tech Infinity Park has begun with work beginning on its first building, the flagship £11.8 million Innovation Centre, which will be the new UK headquarters for Enscite, the support organisation for companies in the transport engineering supply chain.
Due for completion in October, when Enscite will take up occupancy, the Innovation Centre will feature a range of offices and workshops and will also include a ‘Fab Lab’ with specialist equipment to enable both tenants and non-tenants to engage in product development. Users of the Fab Lab will also be able to seamlessly link through to complementary centres such as larger-scale machining, testing and fabrication facilities at Derby University’s Institute for Innovation and Sustainable Engineering in the centre of Derby.
Using the Innovation Centre as its base, Enscite will provide incubation support to new or existing businesses in order to help them innovate, develop new products, enter different markets and access funding and other professional support that is required to grow. Enscite will continue to work with companies in the supply chain of the major transport engineering manufacturers in Derby, the East Midlands and across the UK.
Speaking after the official ground-breaking ceremony, its managing director Colin McKinnon, said: “We are very much looking forward to the official opening of the Innovation Centre and the wider development of Infinity Park, Derby, which together will be a fantastic facility for the Midlands.
“The Innovation Centre promises to be an incredible space that will attract high tech, innovative businesses into a state-of-the art building specifically for companies operating in or wanting to access the aerospace, automotive and rail supply chains. It will provide specialist support to the region’s manufacturers, helping them to grow, develop new products and fulfill their potential.
“I believe that over time, Infinity Park Derby and the Innovation Centre will be internationally recognised as a centre of transport engineering supply chain manufacturing excellence.
“Infinity Park Derby will be a window for the world to appreciate Derby’s future thinking and influence, especially within the advanced engineering sectors, including the automotive, rail and aerospace industries,” he added.
At the ceremony to mark the start of works on site, invited guests were welcomed by speeches from John Coyne, Chancellor at University of Derby, and Councillor Ranjit Banwait, Derby City Council leader, who said he hoped the Innovation Centre would inspire the next generation of engineers:
“The Innovation Centre will be an essential catalyst for the development and growth of the wider business park and ultimately the creation of well-paid, highly skilled jobs for the people of Derby. We want it to inspire young people.”
When complete, Infinity Park Derby will be a 250-acre commercial and technology park, providing 1,500,000 square foot of space, and accommodating up to 8,000 jobs focused around the hi-tech and knowledge intensive sectors.
The construction phase of the Innovation Centre started on 13 October 2014. Funding for the Centre is from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund, from Derby City Council and the University of Derby.
