Work has started on a £3 million project being carried out by Clegg Construction at the University of Birmingham.

The Nottingham-based construction firm is fast developing a reputation as experts in education buildings and has been asked to construct a new biomedical centre on the university's science park.

Clegg Construction will be creating a new two-storey building within the existing campus at Birmingham with one floor dedicated to fitted out laboratories and the other left prepared for associated businesses and enterprises to move into.

Simon Blackburn, managing director at Clegg Construction, said: "We are delighted to be asked to carry out this important new project for the University of Birmingham having previously completed the £6 million refurbishment of its Gisbert Kapp building.

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"The project presents the challenge of working next to buildings where the day to day life of the university continues and there is also a railway line nearby at the back of the site.

"This requires us to co-ordinate closely with the university to ensure we can carry out the project on schedule with minimum disruption to students and staff."

Once completed, the biomedical centre will play a key role in forging partnerships between the university and businesses who will have the chance to move into these excellent new facilities.

A key area of work has been in the preparation for the project with discussions over details such as fume cupboards and lay-outs of laboratories followed by procurement of specialist fittings and furniture which has to come in from overseas.

The Clegg Construction team has been able to draw on its experience of carrying out a £5 million project at the nearby Aston University which included the creation of five new laboratories and the construction of the pioneering carbon neutral Energy Technologies Building at the University of Nottingham which incorporated the latest environmentally friendly features to conserve energy.

(CD/MH)