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The Collaborative Innovation Centre being constructed by the McAvoy Group is made up of 83 prefabricated modular units with fitted windows and plasterboarded walls and ceilings . The final three units were delivered only a few weeks ago , completing the erection of the two storey 3,600 sqm building .
Porton Science Park is expanding significantly , and the Collaborative Innovation Centre will provide new office , laboratory and bespoke facilities to companies giving them the opportunity to grow . The council is delivering the building as fitted out space to provide turnkey laboratory , office and meeting space to smaller businesses and visiting researchers , academics and entrepreneurs . The Grow On space is being delivered as a shell , which the council offers to fit out to meet individual tenant ’ s bespoke needs subject to a lease agreement .
The aspiration is for the Collaborative
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Innovation Centre to be net zero carbon post completion , supporting the council ’ s aim to be carbon neutral by 2030 .
Cllr Richard Clewer , Leader of Wiltshire Council , said , “ Following the tremendous success of the first phase which comprised the £ 10.1 million Beech-Allen Building which was opened in early 2018 and is now fully occupied , we are delighted to see the second phase building coming to life . We already have substantial interest in this building , and we are looking forward to the new tenants moving in when the building opens later this year .
“ The significant investment from Wiltshire Council and our partners has been critical to the site ’ s expansion which has reaffirmed Porton Science Park as a Life Science Opportunity Zone and a centre of excellence in specialist health , life science and defence and security sectors .”
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Paddy Bradley , CEO , Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership , added , “ We are delighted to see the development of phase two of Porton Science Park . The £ 2 million investment from the government ’ s Getting Building Fund we helped secure allows us to specifically target enhancing job opportunities , skills and infrastructure for the area . We know that this project will help attract more investment in our communities and will draw in new high-skilled and well-paid jobs to boost our recovery .”
The Collaborative Innovation Centre is scheduled to open in autumn 2022 .
For more info : www . portonsciencepark . com
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" this project will help attract more investment in our communities and will draw in high-skilled and well-paid jobs to boost our recovery ” |
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The South West ’ s economy is expected to grow faster in 2022 than in any other region in the UK as it rebounds from the effects of the pandemic , according to the recently published Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index .
The report estimates that the West ’ s gross value added ( GVA ), a measure of economic output , grew by 8.2 per cent in 2021 and will grow another 6.1 per cent in 2022 . In addition , the overall index ranking placed Swindon in third place with a rating of 0.6-
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just behind Oxford and Bournemouth .
The Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index ranks 50 of the UK ’ s largest cities ( generally considered those with populations of at least 350,000 people ), plus the London boroughs as a whole , based on people ’ s assessment of 12 key economic wellbeing factors , including jobs , health , income and skills , as well as work-life balance , house affordability , travel-to-work times , income equality , environment and business startups .
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The report says it is likely that the West ’ s strong recovery is , in part , driven by the movement of city dwellers to commuter belts or rural areas amid a growing focus on wellbeing , the environment and income distribution . Many of the cities with smaller populations have experienced , and are expected to continue to see , stronger GVA growth rates than larger metropolitan cities .
Cities in the South West perform well in the index ’ s overall ranking , which takes into account 12 factors such as health , work-life
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balance and income distribution . The West ’ s cities were all comfortably within the top half of the 50 cities profiled : Bournemouth ( 2 ), Swindon ( 3 ), Bristol ( 9 ), Exeter ( 11 ), Plymouth ( 18 ). There is evidence that some of the West ’ s more rural areas are also doing well - Cornwall and Dorset both score highly in the index .
For more info : www . pwc . co . uk
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THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2022 5 |