Work begins for Pounds 18m university building
0 Comments | Plymouth Evening Herald, The, Jul 27, 2010
PREPARATIONS are under way for the start of building work on a new Pounds 18 million marine building being developed by the University of Plymouth on its city campus.
Work has already begun to prepare the ground and remove and relocate trees on the site which will become home to research facilities, including wave tank testing equipment unique in the UK.
The marine building is a key element of the Pounds 25 million Plymouth Science and Innovation Programme (PSIP), announced earlier this year.
This has been created by a partnership led by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA), the university and Plymouth City Council. The building received planning permission from council planners in March.
The university is tendering for contractors and expects the main building work to start in September, with the building expected to be completed in mid-2012.
David James, operations and development manager for SWRDA, said: “We’re delighted to see work progressing on this important investment in the future economic growth plans of Plymouth and the wider South West.
“It capitalises on the city’s strengths in marine science and engineering and as part of the PSIP, it will put Plymouth at the forefront of research into low carbon technologies and developing a world class marine renewables sector.”
Professor Julian Beer, director of research and enterprise and pro vice-chancellor, said: “Our marine research has now achieved world-class recognition and status, and through our links to enterprise and business we are in a privileged position to be able to grow the knowledge economy of the South West.
“With building work set to get under way on the marine facility, and the launch this month of a new marine research vessel — also part funded by the RDA — these are exciting times for Plymouth which we hope will further underpin its maritime heritage.”
Designed to cement Plymouth’s position as a global centre of excellence for science, innovation and marine energy research, PSIP includes putting in place facilities and a city-wide strategy aimed at creating jobs, businesses and economic success from science and innovationrelated activities in marine renewables, engineering, marine science and other technologies.
The RDA has already announced Pounds 1.2 million funding for the marine building’s wave tank as part of the agency’s three-year Pounds 7.3 million investment in the Peninsula Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMaRE), led by the universities of Plymouth and Exeter.
The PRIMaRE funding also included Pounds 235,000 towards the University of Plymouth Marine Institute’s new research vessel, the RV Falcon Spirit, launched on July 3.