Plans have been approved to create a new Smart Innovation Hub at Keele University in Staffordshire.

The 4,200m2 three-storey facility will be located at the entrance to the University and construction is expected to begin later this year.

Designed by architects BDP, the Hub will become the first innovation centre in the UK to bring together a university management school and incubation space for innovative new and developing businesses.

In addition, the facility has been planned with a focus on sustainability, resulting in a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating.

The creation of the Smart Innovation Hub will form part of the New Keele Deal – a plan for £70million of investment by Keele University, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust and the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership to exploit Keele University's research and facilities, resulting in a significant number of higher value jobs being created locally over the next 20 years.

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Professor Trevor McMillan, Keele University Vice-Chancellor, said: "This is a big step in our capacity to support our local economy, local businesses and local community by enabling closer interaction between the businesses and various parts of the University, in particular the Management School which will be housed in the same building.

"Keele University is frequently named amongst the best in the country in a wide range of areas, and it is through developments such as the new Hub that we will be able to increase this standing further and, in turn, allow our staff and students as well as businesses to benefit and thus increase our impact across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire."

Completion is scheduled for spring 2019.

(LM)