Planning permission has been granted for the second phase of the £100 million-plus Space Park Leicester.
As reported on Business-Live yesterday, work is already underway on the first phase of the University of Leicester backed project – an innovation, research and incubation facility for private companies and academics, mainly to analyse the data sent down from satellites orbiting the earth.
The latest planning permission means work on phase two of the site – a 62,000 sq ft robot and AI assisted research and development facility for low-cost satellite production - will be able to start in the next couple of months.
Around £100 million of investment is going into the first two stages of the space park being built close to the National Space Centre just outside Leicester.
Work is expected to be completed next year and the site could eventually contribute in the region of £750 million a year to the economy, and create 2,500 jobs.
A third stage could eventually see a £35 million Low Cost Access to Space (LoCAS) satellite manufacturing facility built.
It is hoped the site will become a world-leading cluster for innovative research, enterprise and education in space and Earth observation, helping the 海角视频 capture a bigger share of the £400 billion global space market.
The University of Leicester is leading the development in collaboration with local, national and international partners including Leicester City Council and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership.
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Aerospace and technology companies such as Hewlett Packard, Airbus, Lockhead Martin, Airbus, Thales Alenia Space and even Amazon are also signed up.
The Space Park will also include a hub for the National Centre for Earth Observation.
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “These are exciting and ambitious plans that will bring specialist space and technology businesses to our city, building on the reputation of the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester.
“We’re pleased to support the university in this project, which will attract more investment, research activity and high value jobs to Leicester.”
Grant Bourhill, chief executive of Science Parks and Interim Director Research & Enterprise at the University of Leicester, said: “Securing planning permission for the second phase is another step forward in our ambition to create a world leading space hub right here in Leicester.
“This brings together three key areas of focus for our university – high quality research; working with industry and other partners to create impact from that research together with local and regional prosperity.
“Achieving planning permission is another key milestone and we look forward to working closely with our partners to put Leicester at the centre of space-related research, innovation and skills development.”