Liverpool Science Park News & Press

Liverpool City Council's planning committee has given the go-ahead to a third building at Liverpool Science Park. The park's chief executive Chris Musson told Insider the decision was a "significant milestone" in the development of the site. The new four-storey 42,000 sq ft building, to be known as ic3, aims to offer flexible office space, fully serviced laboratories over three floors, meeting rooms and a ground floor café. It is designed to complement the nearby MerseyBIO incubator facility, which is currently at capacity.

Musson said the next process will be to secure a public and private funding package which is anticipated to be in place by March 2011.

"The third building is the next piece in the evolving jigsaw of Liverpool Science Park's unique offering," he said. "Receiving detailed planning permission is a key step along the way to realising this third building."

He added that the planned laboratories would be a "tremendous asset" to the city and would help it to become the "first choice for science-based organisations".

A double-storey bridge will link ic3 to the existing ic1 building, with visitors being directed to ic3 via the current main entrance of ic1.

Gareth Callen, lead architect from Liverpool-based Ryder Architecture, said "The mass of the building has been carefully designed and articulated to respond to the visual impact from the Metropolitan Cathedral and open parkland to the north whilst providing a strong and appealing frontage along Great Orford Street."

Last month Liverpool Science Park - a joint venture between Liverpool Council, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the University of Liverpool - opened the Graduate Enterprise Centre which is designed to boost entrepreneurship and innovation in the city.

It is also seeking a £660,000 loan to construct additional high-tech laboratory space in its ic2 building. The city council is expected to provide the loan towards the new labs, underwritten by the University of Liverpool and LJMU.

It is estimated that following the planned development work, the park could support as many as 7,000 jobs within the next ten years.