A £5.5 million centre of excellence for the global leather industry has been completed at the University of Northampton.
The 27,000 sq ft International Leather Centre (ILC), funded by LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General), marks the seventh major development to be delivered by leading commercial property developer Stoford Developments this year alone.
The ILC at the town centre Waterside campus will house the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies (ICLT), and comprises a tannery, offices, classrooms and teaching laboratories, and will be a global hub that will deliver technical excellence in education, training and research.
Stoford Director Gerard Ludlow said: “We are pleased to have completed this fantastic development for the University of Northampton, which will consolidate its reputation as a global leading educator in this sector. This is a landmark building, prominently located on the main campus, signifies the university’s commitment to teaching and collaborative research in the leather industry.”
Rachel Garwood, Director of the ICLT, said: “We are currently the leading global HE provider for leather education and the only university in Europe with a full working tannery.
“The new International Leather Centre in Northampton will become the epicentre for leather expertise, addressing the whole of the value chain from ‘the hide to the high street’. We believe no one else is positioned to offer this level of expertise worldwide.”
Rob Codling, Fund Manager at LGIM Real Assets, added: “It is fantastic to see this development complete which will help support the future of the University of Northampton and its state-of-the-art campus. This type of development is in line with our Fund strategy to increase our exposure to long-term secure income streams, with a focus on alternatives.”
Associated Architects designed the ILC and main contractor was A&H Construction. Savills acted as agents for the university.
