Liverpool Science Park News & Press
Liverpool Science Park launches next chapter - Wednesday 19 January 2011
Liverpool Science Park has taken another step in its development
with the launch of five new high-tech laboratories in its ic2
building on Brownlow Hill. The news comes as Spark Impact, which is
managing the £25m biomedical portion of the North West Fund, has
opened its first North West office at the park.
Chris Musson, the park's chief executive, told Insider the launch of the laboratories sent an important message to the businesses in the life sciences sector that Liverpool is open for business.
Planning permission for the 5,000 sq ft of biology grade specification laboratories was secured in September 2010, with work starting two months later. Although the five bespoke laboratories won't be fully complete until late
May, the park last night started a campaign to attract tenants to the site.
"We'll be marketing the labs over the next four to five months to make the market aware that Liverpool is open for business around commercial labs in the knowledge quarter," said Musson.
"There has been a real shortage in recent years, with the University of Liverpool's MerseyBIO incubator being at capacity for the past four years, and that has meant the city has lost businesses which wanted to expand. Demand has certainly outstripped supply."
Liverpool's life sciences sector currently employs more that 4,000 people and generates turnover of around £250m per year.
The new laboratories mirror MerseyBIO's offering and the two organisations will be working in conjunction to promote the additional space to a national and international audience. The project has cost £660,000, funded by a loan from joint venture partners Liverpool City Council, Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Liverpool.
Musson said the loan demonstrated confidence in the park's commercial judgement. He added: "It might only be five labs but it's a huge thing for Liverpool Science Park. It reaffirms our credentials and reasons for existing to support the knowledge economy."
The laboratories support longer-term proposals to create a third building at the park and dovetails with plans for a bioinnovation centre as the first element of a BioCampus on the Royal Liverpool hospital site.
In October 2010, Liverpool Science Park secured planning permission for a four-storey 42,000 sq ft building, to be known as ic3, that will offer flexible office space, fully serviced laboratories over three floors, meeting rooms and a ground floor café. Musson is now working on putting together a funding package so the plans can come to fruition.
Chris Musson, the park's chief executive, told Insider the launch of the laboratories sent an important message to the businesses in the life sciences sector that Liverpool is open for business.
Planning permission for the 5,000 sq ft of biology grade specification laboratories was secured in September 2010, with work starting two months later. Although the five bespoke laboratories won't be fully complete until late
May, the park last night started a campaign to attract tenants to the site.
"We'll be marketing the labs over the next four to five months to make the market aware that Liverpool is open for business around commercial labs in the knowledge quarter," said Musson.
"There has been a real shortage in recent years, with the University of Liverpool's MerseyBIO incubator being at capacity for the past four years, and that has meant the city has lost businesses which wanted to expand. Demand has certainly outstripped supply."
Liverpool's life sciences sector currently employs more that 4,000 people and generates turnover of around £250m per year.
The new laboratories mirror MerseyBIO's offering and the two organisations will be working in conjunction to promote the additional space to a national and international audience. The project has cost £660,000, funded by a loan from joint venture partners Liverpool City Council, Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Liverpool.
Musson said the loan demonstrated confidence in the park's commercial judgement. He added: "It might only be five labs but it's a huge thing for Liverpool Science Park. It reaffirms our credentials and reasons for existing to support the knowledge economy."
The laboratories support longer-term proposals to create a third building at the park and dovetails with plans for a bioinnovation centre as the first element of a BioCampus on the Royal Liverpool hospital site.
In October 2010, Liverpool Science Park secured planning permission for a four-storey 42,000 sq ft building, to be known as ic3, that will offer flexible office space, fully serviced laboratories over three floors, meeting rooms and a ground floor café. Musson is now working on putting together a funding package so the plans can come to fruition.
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