Exeter Science Park

Exeter Science Park is a business park on the outskirts of the city Exeter in the United Kingdom for companies specialising in science and technology. It is a 26 hectares (64 acres) site next to junction 29 of the M5 motorway.[1] The park is linked to the University of Exeter Innovation Centre, which provides accommodation for knowledge-intensive business start-ups.[2] Exeter University was stimulated to develop the park by the desire to turn ideas generated at the university into products and services that could be marketed.[3] It is managed by Peninsula Innovations, a subsidiary of Exeter University which also runs the Innovation Centre.

Exeter Science Park
The first building to be completed at Exeter Science Park
LocationExeter, Devon, UK
Coordinates50.7311°N 3.4565°W / 50.7311; -3.4565
Opening date2015
DeveloperKier Group
Construction cost£8 million
Size26 hectares (64 acres)
Websiteexetersciencepark.co.uk

Construction

The Exeter Science Park Centre was built by the construction firm Kier Group and cost £8m to construct; it was opened in June 2015. It was commissioned by the Exeter Science Park Company, a partnership between Devon County Council, the University of Exeter, the Exeter City Council and the East Devon District Council. The first phase of the project is a three-storey building of 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) which includes laboratories, offices and meeting rooms as well as public areas and a café. A further phase of 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) is planned, and when fully developed, the science park will comprise a million square feet of accommodation and employ in the region of 3,000 people.[4] Three further buildings on the site are planned to be delivered by 2018, offering space for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises.[3]

Occupants

Services commerce company Blur Group became the first commercial business to move to the park in November 2013.[5][6]

The Met Office took delivery of an IT hall and neighbouring office building at the Science Park in late 2016. The IT hall houses a new supercomputer, the Met Office's third.[7]

As of October 2017, the Science Park has over 16 other tenants.[8]

Redhayes Bridge
Redhayes Bridge

The Redhayes pedestrian and cycle bridge over the M5 evolved from a study looking at green infrastructure in Exeter and East Devon that led to a successful bid for £5.5 million to the Community Infrastructure Fund. The bridge links Blackhorse Lane to Hollow Lane, beside the park. It was opened on 20 July 2011 by Transport Minister Norman Baker.[9] The bridge won a British Construction Industry Award in 2011.[10]

See also

References
  1. Parks, Liz (23 October 2013). "Science park funding talks are under way". Western Morning News. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  2. "Creating a Science Park for Exeter". University of Exeter. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  3. "Exeter Science Park". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  4. Richardson, G. (5 May 2015). "Photos: First look inside new £8m Exeter Science Park Centre". Exeter Express & Echo. Archived from the original on 2 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  5. "blur Group get the keys to their new purpose built Devon headquarters". investdevon.co.uk. Devon County Council. 29 November 2013.
  6. "Shadow business secretary 'Exeter could become the UK's answer to Silicon Valley'". Express & Echo. 22 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  7. Taylor, David (18 October 2016). "Heavy Weather". The Construction Index.
  8. "Park Tenants". www.exetersciencepark.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  9. "Redhayes Bridge". www.exeterandeastdevon.gov.uk. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  10. "Winners 2011". www.bciawards.org.uk. 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2013.

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