Building firm Seddon has been appointed to develop a £7m modern art innovation centre in Staffordshire.

The company will build a three-storey, 65,336 sq ft Innovation Centre 5 (IC5) at the Keele University Science and Innovation Park.

IC5 is the latest in a series of facilities at the university's science park. It will provide high quality office and workshop space for new and existing medical, technology and engineering enterprises.

Seddon will build the shell and core of the IC5 building, along with three separate wings and associated external hard and soft landscaping.

The firm secured the project after being appointed to the four year, £40m construction framework for Staffordshire County Council.

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So far the framework has seen Seddon develop four schools for the council since 2012. The company was also recently appointed to deliver the £5.5m Veritas Academy primary school in Stafford.

The council's economy leader, Mark Winnington, said: "We are pleased to see work on the new innovation centre get underway with Seddon. We took the decision to invest in the project four years ago so this is a real milestone. It will further Keele University Science and Business Park's reputation internationally as a prime location for innovation in the medical, technology and engineering sectors."

Eamonn Burns, Regional Director for the Midlands, added: "We are delighted to be developing this much needed office and industrial space for Keele University and the cutting edge science and technology companies that will find a home there.

"This latest development builds on the range of exciting projects we have delivered for Staffordshire County Council over the past three years."

Work has already begun on the development and is expected to be completed by April 2016.

(LM)