Science hub set to attract more businesses

The Norwich Research Park is set for an influx of science businesses with the completion this July of the new £5 million innovation and incubation building, funding for which was announced in January this year.

The building, which is to be known as the NRP Innovation Centre, is the first phase of the Norwich Research Park’s ambitious plans to create 5000 jobs in the next 10 years. Over 30 office and laboratory units have been constructed and fitted out in a totally refurbished and customised 4,215 sq m (43,000 sq ft) three-storey building, located on the NRP.

John Irving, who leads the NRP Innovation Centre project for Colney Innovations Ltd (CIL), said: “The NRP Innovation Centre is scheduled to open in July and we are already attracting interest from a wide range of science and research businesses. We are in advanced stages of negotiations with a number of organisations that could see nearly half the building let before the end of this year. This is exceptionally encouraging and very good news for CIL and the NRP.”

CIL are looking to attract businesses involved in all aspects of science, research and support services to the NRP Innovation Centre.

CIL is also taking over the management of the NRP-based Norwich Bio-Incubator (NorBio), a modern, world-class facility that already provides laboratory and office facilities for start up businesses, including national award winning companies, in a number of disciplines including forensics, ecology consulting, pharmaceuticals, genetics, science related publishing and other supporting services.

John Irving continues: “The NRP Innovation Centre and NorBio are both coming under the umbrella of CIL, enabling us to offer facilities for start up and expanding science businesses. It will provide us with the strong foundations for positioning the Norwich Research Park as one of Europe’s first choice science parks for science entrepreneurs.”