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LEICESTER | Pioneer Park - Abbey Meadows | U/C

57K views 316 replies 38 participants last post by  Luke-Knight 
#1 ·
To retain more graduates in Leicester a science park has just started at Abbey Meadows, nextdoor to the National Space Centre. It will cost £60 million and will create around 1,000 jobs and will offer space in varying units, for start-up businesses to more established ones.

Key industries to be represented will be in medicine, space science, biotechnology, design and others.

See the LRC's site for more details:Leicester Regeneration Company website






All above from LRC website
 
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#60 ·
From Leicester Mercury business today:

Hi-tech firms look at move to Leicester Science Park
A number of firms are interested in moving into Leicester Science Park, it emerged today.

Business leaders said "several" companies were looking at relocating to the 20-acre site, off Abbey Lane.It comes after hi-tech firm Zeeko said it hoped become the park's first resident by autumn this year.

The cutting edge companies, which are all small and fast-growing, are interested in occupying the park's proposed innovation centre.

The development of the park is set to receive new impetus over the next few months having taken far longer to get off the ground than expected.

The chief executive of the new Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Development Company (LLEDC), said the science park will be one of his priorities when the new group begins work next month.

It is thought either Leicester Regeneration Company or LLEDC will bid for European funding for some of the estimated £5 million cost of the innovation centre in the next two months. The remainder of the cash is likely to come from other public sector bodies.

John Nicholls, chief executive of Leicester Regeneration Company, which is set to be absorbed into the LLEDC, said: "Several companies have expressed an interest in the park. They are hi-tech companies with potential for expansion, which is exactly what the science park is aimed at."

Mr Nicholls said he hoped to see the centre, which has not yet received formal planning consent, ready for occupation by the end of 2010.

Two previous bids to create an innovation centre - one using European funding and another using a private sector developer - have failed over the past five years.

The science park has been criticised in some quarters for being too far from the city's two universities.

LLEDC chief executive David Hughes has highlighted the importance of the city's two universities, as well as Loughborough University, to the success of the park. Planning consent for Loughborough Science Park, next to the town's university, which will create 3,000 jobs, is expected this week.

Speaking earlier this month, he said: "We should be retaining graduates. There's a very good chance we will be talking with the three universities about how we can work together on Leicester Science Park."

Zeeko, based in Coalville, is the only company to commit itself to the park. A planning application for a one-acre factory site has been submitted to Leicester City Council.

The company would double staff numbers to 60 after the relocation and turnover would double to £6 million within two years.

Last month, the firm announced it had won orders worth £2.45 million.

Source: Leicester Mercury
See: http://www.thisisbusiness-eastmidla...re/Hi-tech-firms-look-at-park-relocation.aspx
 
#61 ·
From today's Business Mercury:

The key to future successes

Leicester Science Park is now seen as the city's key regeneration project and the yardstick by which its success will be measured (see page opposite).The flagship schemes which were completed last year were all very important to the future of the city and county.

However, the lack of a science park puts the city at a considerable disadvantage, making it harder to attract the fast-growing, cutting-edge businesses that will be the major employers of the future.

The 20-acre park, off Abbey Lane - close to the National Space Centre - promises to be the catalyst the city needs to turn itself into a hi-tech economy.

However, it is facing competition from Loughborough, whose science park is seen as having the advantage of being next to a university.

Surely the county should be able to accommodate two science parks if it is to realise its ambitions?

Crime is one of the biggest problems affecting businesses at the best of times - but when the economy takes a turn for the worst it starts to become a much bigger concern.

Business leaders have warned theft and fraud are set to soar this year as people become more desperate because of the deepening recession, exacerbating the impact of falling trade.

The latest Crime Against Business Survey of 133 Leicester city centre businesses found that shoplifting increased last year, and is likely to rise again this year.

Some shopkeepers say they are worried about the safety of staff as thieves become bolder as the downturn gets worse.

Politicians and religious leaders may appeal to the public's morality, but that may be increasingly difficult to do when the executives who caused the recession are seen to be walking away from the mayhem with millions of pounds in their pockets.

One man who has certainly not been rewarded for failure is John Nicholls, who has been praised for the key role he has played in Leicester's multi-billion regeneration programme. The chief executive of the Leicester Regeneration Company stepped down on Friday after seven years of leading the body. John's success was to mix determination with diplomacy - something a number of now disgraced London-based captains of industry could have benefited from.

Source: Leicester Mercury
See: http://www.thisisbusiness-eastmidlands.co.uk/News/Leicestershire/The-key-to-future-successes.aspx
 
#62 ·
Zeeko related news from Mercury business today:

NASA moon mission is one giant leap for Zeeko


It is one small step towards Man's return to the moon - but one giant leap for a small Leicestershire engineering firm. Nasa is to map the lunar surface to find a safe landing ground for astronauts due to go there in 2020.

When the space agency's £345 million Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, next month, on board will be powerful lenses created by machines manufactured in Leicestershire.

Coalville company Zeeko, which specialises in machines which make optics for cameras and telescopes, won a £1 million contract to supply two of its devices to Light Works Optics, of California.

Light Works used the machines to produce the lenses for the lunar orbiter.

Richard Freeman, Zeeko's co-founder and managing director, said: "We are delighted about this. It's one of the pinnacles for us and a bit of a childhood dream."

He revealed the company was in talks with Nasa officials about another space-related project, but said it was too early to give details.

Technical engineer Robert Darlison, 58, of Syston, went to California to carry out maintenance work on the lens-making machines.

He said: "Working for a company which is involved in the space industry is really exciting."

Experts believe Nasa will use the landing ground identified on the moon as a launch pad for a manned mission to Mars.

Mr Darlison said: "It's fantastic that these machines could help in a manned mission to Mars. It's certainly different to my previous job working with machine tools."

Grey Hautaluoma, spokesman for Nasa, said: "There are high expectations of all suppliers to Nasa projects. This is an important mission in Nasa's return to the moon."

As many recession-hit manufacturing firms struggle to stay afloat, fast-growing Zeeko is on track to treble turnover to £9 million over the next two years.

The company also recently won a £2.5 million contract to create a machine to make mirror segments for the European Southern Observatory - set to be the world's biggest telescope.

Zeeko, currently in Hermitage Industrial Estate, is due to relocate to Leicester Science Park, off Abbey Lane, in the autumn, where it will double its workforce to 60.

Leicester businessman Dennis Kent, vice-president of the Midlands branch of the Engineering Employers' Federation, said: "This highlights the level of hi-tech expertise there is in the county.

"This is great news for manufacturing in Leicestershire.

"Zeeko's association with Nasa will hopefully attract more hi-tech companies and jobs to Leicestershire."

Source: Leicester Mercury
See:http://www.thisisbusiness-eastmidla...-the-moon-is----one-giant-leap-for--zeek.aspx
 
#66 ·
From today's Business Mercury:

The land of opportunity

The 20-acre site earmarked as Leicester Science Park remains a barren plot of land, with only one firm committed to moving in.However, the new head of regeneration in Leicestershire wants plans to move forward to make it an eye-catching hub for cutting-edge companies.

David Hughes, chief executive of Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Development Company, said it was important to "move quickly" to secure funding for a £5 million innovation centre for start-up firms and university spin-out companies.

He said that he wants to have the money in place by early 2010 "at the latest", so work can begin at the site, off Abbey Lane, next year.

The organisation is hoping to win funding from the European Regional Development Fund and East Midlands Development Agency.

Mr Hughes also wants to attract developers and potential tenants by considering rent-free periods and rental guarantees for investors, while enlisting the help of universities to attract expanding companies to Leicestershire from the UK and overseas.

Up to a dozen small hi-tech firms could be given spaces at the innovation centre.

It is hoped that having them there will help illustrate the potential of the site to larger companies.

Mr Hughes said: "The whole idea is to be able to kick-start the site and get the first businesses in, because that means there will be more confidence in it.

"We don't want to see general office units going in there.

"We want to hold out and stick to our vision of science-related enterprises.

"We have to stay with that plan rather than fold at the first opportunity by getting other developments that fill up space but doesn't add anything to our strategy to encourage science-related business to develop.

"There is a push to take anything you can get in the current climate, which means compromising on quality, but that's not something we want to do.

"We have a number of enterprises at De Montfort University and the other universities in Loughborough and Leicester that are looking for space to move in to from the very small units in and around the universities.

"They can be incubated at the science park before they move on to become fully-fledged businesses."

He said he wanted to have a "firm commitment" for funding to be in place for the innovation centre by next March.

He said: "If it isn't - and I'm not feeling negative about it - we would need to review the future direction of the science park."

It is hoped the universities will be able to help entice more hi-tech firms.

Mr Hughes said: "It's pointless doing this without the universities.

"You can't just create a site, beautify it, and expect property agents to market it for you.

"You have to be in the network of universities and be in an entrepreneurial spirit with them.

"They all have unique things they each offer to companies.

"They have trading links with the outside world and if they get a chance to influence those companies, who knows, there may be good contacts abroad in India or China that we can try to foster."

Technology firm Zeeko, of Coalville, is the only firm to have confirmed it wants to move on to the site.

Source: Leicester Mercury
See: http://www.thisisbusiness-eastmidlands.co.uk/News/Leicestershire/The-land-of-opportunity.aspx
 
#68 ·
From today's Mercury:

Opinion: Science park back on track
Tuesday, August 04, 2009, 08:30

Comment on this story

After being in danger of becoming the regeneration project that time forgot, it seems Leicester Science Park is finally back on track, writes Ian Griffin.

The 20-acre site off Abbey Lane, close to the National Space Centre, has been hit by a combination of the construction slump and two aborted attempts to secure a developer.

The scheme, being led by Leicester City Council, has been given a huge vote of confidence after one of the county's best-known cutting-edge engineering firms said it was interested in moving in.

Intelligent Energy's endorsement should not be underestimated.

This is a company with ties to the some of the world's biggest names in the automotive and aerospace industries.
Click here to find out more!

As I have said a number of times before in this column, a science park should now be Leicester's main priority in the next stage of the city's £3bn regeneration.

It would not only help to retain more graduates from the county's three universities but act as a showcase for its wide-range of technological know how.

These should be the two key components of a vibrant and expanding 21st century county.

Leicestershire's scientific pedigree is second to none – DNA criminal profiling was developed here, many companies supply Nasa and other space agencies and the University of Leicester's Space Research Centre is admired across the world.

Zeeko, of Coalville, which makes machines to produce lenses for space telescopes, and Magna Parva, of Bardon, which has developed a device for detecting life on Mars, are both fantastic companies.

But the arrival of Intelligent Energy would really make the technology sector sit up and take notice and help to lure companies from outside the county.

The next step is to see whether the park can secure the £2.4m of funding it needs for the £6m innovation centre, which forms a key part of the development.

Intelligent Energy itself was a fledgling firm a few years ago.

Incubating such businesses will be as important as bringing in ready-made ones.

It was interesting to read the report into East Midlands Development Agency from the five Labour MPs who form the East Midlands Select Committee.

They managed to give the Government-funded economic development organisation some criticism for not doing enough for the countryside.

There were also recommendations about consulting with unions and other groups and a bit of concern about funding cuts.

But you never really expected them to give an agency set up by the Labour Government too much of a hammering.
See: http://www.thisisbusiness-eastmidla...ark-track/article-1219363-detail/article.html
 
#71 ·
But the graduates of the universities that stay tend to gravitate to the south of the city centre. More would be driven to stay if the Science Park was nearer to Leicester University in particular. Unlikely that any of them will feel the urge to live to Beaumont Leys. Yes they can face a daily commute across town, but if that is the option - why not move somewhere else?
 
#73 ·
Perhaps affordable housing could have been incorporated into the plans?

I know other developers nearby have to provide such housing but it's not integral to the park.

Access isn't too bad. Most buses have connections with the universities with little or no stops in between.
 
#72 ·
Aren't the areas around the universities rather heavily built up in comparison to west Leicester?

I imagine the first thought that entered the minds of the regeneration people when considering this was: "Where in Leicester is there is enough derelict land for a 20 acre science park?".

And the second was: "Oh... Not Knighton or the West End"
 
#75 ·
Well, I guess they just wanted the science park to be near the space museum then (coming soon... an exhibit featuring a grumpy old man, two comprehensive school teachers, a teenager and a blue box).
 
#76 ·
The blue box. OOO I am interested now. I think this is good although I'm sure a tram line going down that side of town from the Universities would greatly improve the area. It won't be that hard to have a tram line, past B&Q and Abbey Park ending up at DeMontfort University and then round to the station from there? Anyone see the potential of a tram line down New Walk?
 
#82 ·
How about running alongside New Walk on the side streets round the back. Once you are where the train lines are, you could easily extend the route down by saffron lane. In the other direction once you are at DeMontfort, you can easily extend the route to the science park. Just an idea?
 
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