Significant progress is being made on a new £9.9 million Collaborative Innovation Centre at Porton Science Park in Salisbury.

Using a precision manufacturing approach at McAvoy's state of the art facility in Northern Ireland, 83 pre-fabricated modular units have been built complete with fitted windows and plasterboarded walls and ceilings, and the final three modules will be delivered and lifted into position today (10 February 2022) to complete the erection of the two storey 3,600 sqm building. Over the last three weeks, at least six modules have been delivered to site each working day on the back of specially adapted trailers designed for carrying abnormal loads and lifted into position using a very large mobile crane.

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Porton Science Park is expanding significantly, and the Collaborative Innovation Centre will provide new office, laboratory and bespoke facilities to companies giving them the opportunity to grow. The council is delivering the building as fitted out space to provide turnkey laboratory, office and meeting space to smaller businesses and visiting researchers, academics and entrepreneurs. The Grow On space is being delivered as a shell, which the council offers to fit out to meet individual tenant's bespoke needs subject to a lease agreement.

The aspiration is for the Collaborative Innovation Centre to be net zero carbon post completion, supporting the council's aim to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: "Following the tremendous success of the first phase which comprised the £10.1 million Beech-Allen Building which was opened in early 2018 and is now fully occupied, we are delighted to see the second phase building coming to life. We already have substantial interest in this building, and we are looking forward to the new tenants moving in when the building opens later this year.

"The significant investment from Wiltshire Council and our partners has been critical to the site's expansion which has reaffirmed Porton Science Park as a Life Science Opportunity Zone and a centre of excellence in specialist health, life science and defence and security sectors."