Just spotted this in the Executive Board papers.
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/Published/C00000282/M00009357/AI00060221/$AD25LiverpoolScienceParkic3PredevelopmentGrant.docA.ps.pdf

Looks like the science park is definitely growing. Plans are in place for a third building on site, between ic1 and ic2 (not sure where though).

According to the report it will be similar in size to ic2 (40,000 sq ft) and the intention is to be on site in 2010.

Sounds promising.

Rapidly growing Liverpool Science Park to expand again

Dec 14 2009
A RAPIDLY-GROWING city science park is set to expand again for the second time in less than a year.

Liverpool Science Park (LSP) only opened its second building in April.

However, its runaway success means a third is already being planned. The Brownlow Hill centre is now the UK’s second-fastest growing science park – behind the long-established Cambridge Science Park.

The plans would see a third 40,000sq ft building completed by 2012, meaning the centre would have trebled in size since it first opened in 2006.

The Northwest Development Agency (NWDA) is now set to hand over a £250,000 grant to develop the plans for the third building, to be known as ic3.

Deputy leader of Liverpool City Council and LSP director Flo Clucas said the ambitious plans were evidence of the huge success it had become.

She said the science sector had the capability to create thousands of new jobs in Liverpool and was increasingly important to the city’s economy.

She revealed that the £9m Innovation Centre (ic2), opened in April, was already 30% full.

And, despite the recession, predicted demand meant that plans for ic3 needed to be worked up now.

Cllr Flucas said: “It is fantastic news. The science park is doing exceptionally well.”

She said the park’s city centre location, near John Moores and Liverpool universities, was a huge factor in its success.

And, although Cllr Flucas could not put a price on the new extension, she was sure a funding package could be put together.

LSP is currently home to 35 companies employing some 230 highly skilled staff.

Its first innovation centre, ic1, opened in January, 2006. The third building is expected to be located between ic1 and ic2.

It is hoped that finance can be raised in the spring and summer months of 2010, with work starting on site before 2011.

Regeneration quango Liverpool Vision was instrumental in helping secure the £250,000 from the NWDA.

Liverpool Vision chief executive Jim Gill said: “This shows just how successful the first two phases have been. And that is because it is in the right place, offering the right type of service.”

He revealed a blueprint for further developing the city’s so-called “knowledge quarter” was currently being put together.

The LSP is a not-for-profit company with three governing members. Liverpool City Council holds a 51% interest in the science park.

The remaining 49% is split equally between John Moores University and Liverpool University.

The science park also receives funding from Government Office North West and the NWDA.

The only spot they really have left is on the wilderness site, originally slated for a sculpture garden. Saying that, this is more important and will be a great addition to the productivity of the area.

The science of selling knowledge
Jan 6 2010
By Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post

On its fourth anniversary, Liverpool Science Park is still upbeat in tough times. Peter Elson reports

THE tallest city buildings are no longer cathedrals pointing towards a heavenly deity, but temples to Mammon.

Perhaps Liverpool Science Park (LSP) is hedging its bets, then, by nestling alongside the soaring piers of the RC Metropolitan Cathedral.

Poised for a 50% expansion, it looks like the prayers of the park's founders have been answered in recession-beating fashion.

Some £20m investment has been pumped in from EU and Northwest Development Agency funding. Now the two-block complex houses 35 knowledge companies, but the Park’s managers are already rattling their collecting tin for more.

As a tenant of the Archdiocese, the park occupies a prime position at the top of Mount Pleasant, in the city's attractive and historic academic quarter.

The Science Park is the precocious offspring of an unusual ménage-à-trois comprising Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Liverpool University and Liverpool City Council.

This relative newcomer to the university district comes laden with great expectations.

Already the Park is promoting the concept of this area as the Knowledge Quarter of Merseyside's knowledge economy.

Eight years ago, it appeared blindingly obvious that a science park should be set up in a city of international academic status.

Although Liverpool Science Park is now celebrating its fourth anniversary this month, its establishment is 20 years behind Manchester Science Park.

“The founding partners believed that it was not right there was no thriving science park in Liverpool,” said Chris Musson, Liverpool Science Park chief executive.

“It was very far-sighted of the three partners to get involved in attracting sparky, new knowledge companies here.

“We’ve now two of the region’s best buildings for this purpose in the best part of town.”

LJMU vice chancellor Professor Michael Brown pitched the idea to the Government Office North West that Liverpool could accommodate a 500,000sq ft science park.

Musson feels close to the thinking that spawned the park and has powered its development. Musson took over as CEO from Dr Sarah Tasker three months ago. Prior to that, he was the Government Office North West’s Objective One operations director.

Musson said: “Most of the people and investments I dealt with over five years were Liverpool-based, so I feel very involved in the city.

“Liverpool Science Park is a fantastic project. In spite of this terrible recession, we’re on target in filling our second building, ic2.

“The key lesson is that you do not wait until a building is full before you expand to the next phase.

“You need both incubator and growing spaces. Growing companies want differently configured accommodation.”

The question now being asked is if there is a willingness among the three partners for a third building, ic3, to finish off phase one.

The first two buildings each have 40,000sq ft of space and a similar-sized third block would take the total to 120,000sq ft.

“That 500,000sq ft goal is where we should be and we’re discussing it with our partners,” said Musson.

“The model we used was that it would be an ‘easy in – easy out’ one.”

This ranges from supporting staff access – they can work on Christmas Day if they wish – to allowing companies to easily expand in situ.

Six months ago, the Liverpool City Region Multi-Area Agreement was instigated.

This pinpointed three sectors which power the local economy: development around the port, green technology and the knowledge economy.

“Obviously, we fit perfectly into the knowledge economy and should be benefiting,” says Musson.

“Public money comes in to make thing happen better and more quickly,” he claimed.

“We needed NWDA money so we could test our first buildings, before finally committing to our third one.”

NWDA is apparently poised to give a £250,000 development grant for ic3, scheduled to open in 2012.

“There’s not many people with £20m down their trouser pockets. Whereas this is what public money should do,” said Musson.

“We’ve been working closely with our partners over three months to submit bidding forms to the NWDA.

“I couldn’t give a definite answer as yet about the funding sources package, as it remains confidential.

“My job is to deliver this and maximise every source of possible investment.

“We’ve done very well in a difficult climate and tapped into a demand for bespoke, innovative, sparky companies.

“There are three or four distinct audiences we must attract and must ensure our selling reaches them.

"Our partners have taken financial risks to get this far and have the right to ask where it’s going.”

The NWDA is on LSP’s board, so it was fully aware of the Park’s progress, which therefore was not occurring in isolation.

“However, these are tough times for public sector bodies, so we need to make sure of what we’re offering quickly,” said Musson.

“The NWDA want to know how the Park will drive the knowledge economy on a wider basis.

“Yet we will only flourish if Liverpool flourishes. It’s no use in us getting bigger if other things around us start getting smaller.”

The Park has a gateway policy, whereby it is not simply providing office space for any newcomer.

Applicants must be in knowledge companies where “people use their brains in the knowledge business,” said Musson. LSP companies must be involved in IT, research and development, or attached to an academic institution.

He continued: “Bigger strategic talks are going on. We’re asking ‘What are our links to other compatible organisations?’

“These include top-rated organisations like Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Wavertree Technology Park, or Mersey Bio. We’re already talking to other complexes like Daresbury and the Heath at Halton.

“It’s not about working in isolation. We’re a key component, but only one component.

“All 21st-century kit bits are here, so how do we work together?”

In such a specialist market, LSP management says a “huge effort” is being made to look both nationwide and abroad for new businesses.

“Our story needs to be told and it must be credible and the thinking joined up,” said Musson.

There is no rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester Science Parks, “as we’re different propositions,” he claims.

Already the UK’s second-fastest growing science park, the third building would make it the fastest.

“Our product is fantastic, but we must make money and stand alone commercially,” said Musson.

“We’re part of the attack brand, but we can’t have a Liverpool knowledge brand without wider backing.

“When we get funding for our third building, our partners need to demonstrate our ambitions. I want knowledge companies everywhere to realise we’ve got a five-star kit and we want five-star brains to fill it.”

Source: LDP Business (http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/ldpbusiness/business-local/2010/01/06/liverpool-science-park-is-bullish-about-the-future-expansion-on-its-fourth-anniversary-reports-peter-elson-92534-25534574/)

Why is the Science Park to be expanded when the Innovation Park on Edge Lane is near empty?

Different target users presumably, as well as a message about demand. Also, as mentioned in the article, maybe it's that the money is there because the Science Park does not compete with the one in Manchester. Remember that NWDA money would not probably get used to do that.

I'm trying to work out how science parks don't compete with each other. Maybe it's some kind of NWDA slight of hand in which Liverpool based industries are discouraged from 'competing' with GM based ones but it's not the case in reverse - viz. the new NWDA backed games academy in Salford.

Quite. Although maybe the new Science Park boss is only paying lip service to the idea of not competing as he knows that his NWDA paymasters would view idea of one project that they fund being in competition to another that they do as being off-message -- even if they are.

Interesting that the former boss, science park expert Sarah Tasker, ex of the country's most important in Cambridge, has been forced out with critical comments made to the press about her by LJMU's VC at the time about their lack of commerical savvy only for her to be replaced by a faceless regional government machine bureaucrat. Shows you the priorities perhaps. He knows where the public sector monies are. More statist welfarism awaits...

With regionalist/statist placemen and token placewomen here and there sprinkled across so-called Liverpool based wealth/knowledge generating organisations it's a big ask. The wider vision is 'regional' hence the clap trap about Liverpool and Manchester finding a synergy so that they don't compete!

Lithuanian IP firm to get soft landing at Liverpool Science Park

Feb 24 2010 by Alex Turner, Liverpool Daily Post

A LITHUANIAN firm which commercialises intellectual property ideas across northern and eastern Europe is to set up its UK base at Liverpool Science Park.

The Business R&D Centre already works with partners in Germany, Denmark, Poland and Latvia.

It is to launch in Liverpool next Monday at the park’s soft landing centre – which was set up to attract overseas firms with low-risk, low-entry to the city.

The Business R&D Centre director, Marius Lanskoronskis, said: “The soft landing centre provides the ideal combination – high quality space, a community of innovative SMEs and access to the rich academic and research base on its doorstep.”

Liverpool Science Park’s business development director, Chloe Young, said: “As we look to grow the commercial knowledge economy for the city, attracting companies from outside of the region – and, indeed, the UK – is really important in developing the market and creating high-value jobs.”

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/ldpbusiness/business-local/2010/02/24/lithuanian-ip-firm-to-get-soft-landing-at-liverpool-science-park-92534-25900795/

Update taken from the Catholic Cathedral diary (18th June).

"Some time ago I mentioned the possibility of further expansion of the Science Park buildings with and extension proposed on the Car Park of Science Building 1 to the right of the Cathedral Steps and Piazza. This proposal will now be going forward for planning permission and they are planning to be on site in early 2011."
http://www.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk/detail/Weekly_Record__25/222/25.aspx

From the Planning Explorer -

Application Number - 10F/1664
Site Address - Liverpool Science Park 131 Mount Pleasant Liverpool L3 5TF
Proposal - To erect 4 storey office and serviced laboratory space, proposed development merges with adjacent building, also to remodel exist, car park and landscape
Applicant - Liverpool Science Park

Bingo bongo!

Excellent news. Hopefully they'll have the money for it. This is a wealth creation project, so they should keep this towards the top of the shopping list.

We seem to be onto a bit of a winner with this one!!

Does anyone have any info about firms that have 'graduated' from IC 1&2 ?

Images of iC3 now available.
http://northgate.liverpool.gov.uk/DocumentExplorer/Application/folderview.aspx?type=MVMPRD_DC_PLANAPP&key=757533

I hope the universities take out the loans now required to get this built.

Here we go...

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/11355273-lg.jpg

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/11355272-lg.jpg

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/11355271-lg.jpg

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/11355270-lg.jpg

Four storeys clad in polycarbonate with a slate box section, and a 2 storey bridge linking to the first science park building. The volume increases with each floor to cover over a lot of the parking area. Also there is a small cafe towards the park, but its north facing!

That is quite a sexy little building. Much better than it's predecessors. Shame we're unlikely to see it, unless they Uni's get their credit cards out.

Interesting report going to Cabinet soon. Looks like ic2 is to have lab space inserted into it as, over the last few years, at least 19 companies seeking to invest here have had to be turned away.

This is also interesting.

"In the short term the preferred KEG option is to create laboratory space in ic2
plus a full floor of labs in the proposed new ic3 building. [Note: Pre -
development work is already underway on the proposed ic3 building which is
to be funded through mix of grant and borrowings – a separate paper on this
will be brought forward in the next few weeks]"
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/Published/C00001201/M00010745/AI00065856/$FR3DevelopmentoflaboratoriesinLiverpoolSciencePark.docA.ps.pdf

This is being recommended for approval with conditions at next week's Planning Committee meeting - http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=72235

This is being recommended for approval with conditions at next week's Planning Committee meeting - http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=72235

Chris, thanks for the info, and this is the site, attached to IC1 ............

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc242/woody43/liverpool%202010/14Aug2010LukasLiverpoolVisit141.jpg

Between IC1 on the left and the red van is the proposed site

IC1....
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc242/woody43/liverpool%202010/LiverpoolvisitJuly1109061.jpg

IC2.....
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc242/woody43/liverpool%202010/LiverpoolvisitJuly1109035.jpg

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/assets/_files/cached/img/402x253.05882352941/oct_10/pnw__1286307669_2257_Liverpool_Science_Park_IC.jpg

Liverpool approves third science park building
6 Oct 2010, 09:06

Plans for a third building at Liverpool Science Park in the city centre have been given the go ahead.

Liverpool City Council gave planning permission on Tuesday for a new four storey Innovation Centre 3 building, or ic3 for short, totalling 42,000 sq ft, to be built on a 1.35 acre site over the existing car park of ic1, off Mount Pleasant, to the south west of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

The building will include 36 under-croft car parking spaces, 30 cycle spaces and newly landscaped areas.

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

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/assets/_files/cached/img/315x200/oct_10/pnw__1286307625_2257_Liverpool_Science_Park_IC.jpg

The building will feature office space, laboratories over three floors, meeting rooms and a ground floor café accessible to the public.

A public and private funding package is now being assembled to deliver the facility, which is anticipated to be in place by March 2011.

Chris Musson, chief executive of Liverpool Science Park, said: "The third building is the next piece in the evolving jigsaw of Liverpool Science Park's unique offering. Receiving detailed planning permission is a key step along the way to realising this third building. These commercial laboratories will enable us to nurture and support the full range of organisations that make up Liverpool's growing knowledge economy and will complement both MerseyBio's existing offer and our planned floor of laboratories in our second building, which we hope to open in the spring. They will be a tremendous asset to the city, further helping to harness talent and create a pipeline of high value jobs. We want Liverpool to be the first choice for science-based organisations."

Gareth Callen, lead architect from Liverpool-based Ryder Architecture, added: "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."

Developer Liverpool Science Park Company is a joint venture between Liverpool City Council, Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Liverpool, which was set up as a special purpose vehicle to support and drive forward Liverpool's commercial knowledge economy.

Liverpool Science Park said the life sciences sector is already a major contributor to city's economy, employing over 4,000 people and generating turnover of around £250m a year.

The ic3 building is expected to open by autumn 2012.

Source: Place North West (http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/7332-liverpool-approves-third-science-building.html)

Strange (well, not really) that EH had concerns about this building in terms of fitting into teh area. It is by far the best of teh three, architecturally speaking. Much bolder and more interesting. Hopefully we are looking at htem gonig on site in about 6-8 months then. A bit of a wait, but as long as it comes to fruition I'll be happy.

Strange (well, not really) that EH had concerns about this building in terms of fitting into teh area. It is by far the best of teh three, architecturally speaking. Much bolder and more interesting. Hopefully we are looking at htem gonig on site in about 6-8 months then. A bit of a wait, but as long as it comes to fruition I'll be happy.

Agreed. Really like this building!

http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=74347

Looks like this is progressing nicely, albeit more slowly than I'd like.

The ERDF funding appears to be secured and the loan funding just needs cabinet approval for it to be finalised.

This should go on site within a few month of the cabinet meeting I think.

:)
Liverpool Science Park secures £7.6m to build third phase
by Tony McDonough,

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/assets/_files/cached/img/402x253.05882352941/oct_10/pnw__1286307669_2257_Liverpool_Science_Park_IC.jpg

Liverpool Daily PostOct 10 2011

LIVERPOOL Science Park (LSP) has been given the go-ahead for its third phase, after securing £7.6m of funding.

Innovation Centre 3 (IC3) will see the creation of 42,000 sq ft of research and development offices and laboratory facilities.

These will offer space to the city region’s life sciences and physical sciences sector, as well as purpose-built starter pods for young knowledge- based companies.

IC3 will be built close to LSP’s existing buildings, in the shadow of the city’s RC Metropolitan Cathedral.

LSP’s owners, Liverpool City Council, the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, will underwrite a £3.8m loan taken out by LSP towards the construction costs, with the balance of £3.8m being provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Construction is expected to start in late spring 2012 with the facility ready to open in summer, 2013.



Read More http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2011/10/10/liverpool-science-park-secures-7-6m-to-build-third-phase-92534-29566249/#ixzz1aMfESVry

Im happy about this.

Good to finally get confirmation. 2012 on site is too slow really, but at least it is definitely happening. It's also a good little building. I just wish it wasn't tucked away so much.

good news

Great that this is happening, this is exactly what we need, the university seems to be expanding at quite a rate.

This is exactly what the city needs, but it needs an awful lot more than this. At least the intention is there to develop a new economy around the university sites, but the scale is depressingly limited.

The vision for 2 million square ft of life science investment at Liverpool Bio Campus, encompassing one of Europe’s biggest clusters of bio-businesses, research facilities and a state-of the-art new teaching hospital, is absolutely vital to Liverpool’s economic future.

If this comes off as well as the new royal hospital,we'll be on the right track,it's still early days yet,but we're making all of the right noises.

MHurWNa1Mt8

From here http://www.liverpoolsciencepark.co.uk/news/%C2%A376m-funding-package-secured-for-third-building-at-liverpool-science-park.aspx

Great news :cheers2: