Morgan Sindall Construction has been selected to develop a new £8 million home for innovation in Southend-on-Sea.

Named 'The Launchpad', the new development will be a hub of activity, providing start-ups and SMEs in the area with offices, workshops, research facilities and break out spaces within an environment that supports collaboration and champions innovation.

The three storey, 3,254 square metre building has been designed by architects BDP and will also feature a café and seminar space. Utilising off-site modular construction methods, Morgan Sindall Construction will be able to produce the large hub efficiently, cost effectively and with minimum disruption to the project’s neighbours.

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Part of the wider Airport Business Park development, The Launchpad is being delivered for Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and is being funded by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Local Growth Fund.

Chris Travers, Morgan Sindall Construction’s area director for Essex, said: "The Launchpad is an incredibly exciting development that will create a new home for ambitious and innovative companies working at the vanguard of new technology and services. The development will diversify the employment opportunites available within the region and strengthen Southend’s standing as a home for innovative start-ups and SMEs.

"We're delighted to have been appointed to deliver this key project and we are committed to ensuring that the positive economic impact of this development is felt widely throughout the local community. We will be working closely with our project partners, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, and SELEP to deliver social value, support our local supply chain, and create training and employment opportunities for people living nearby – ensuring that the project delivers a long-lasting positive legacy within our local communities."

Works on the development have started and the project is due to complete in summer 2022.