Construction starts on £30m science centre
Work has started on Staffordshire University’s Science and Technology Centre. The £30m development, which is being built by Miller Construction, is set to be completed in 2012.
Located at the University’s Leek Road site in Stoke-on-Trent, the centre will include specialist science and technology laboratories, a cognitive and developmental psychology suite, lecture theatres, IT suites and public exhibition space.
The building, designed by London-based architect Sheppard Robson, is situated within the campus’ University Quarter (UniQ), which is the largest education-led regeneration project in the UK.
Mark Petersen, associate at Sheppard Robson and project leader on the University’s Science and Technology Centre, said: “At this stage of the project, it is extremely rewarding to see our designs and ideas really beginning to take shape.
“It’s an exciting time not only for the university, but also for Stoke. The centre, as part of the UniQ regeneration project, is expected to bring two-fold benefits to the area, boosting the local economy by attracting new businesses, and by equipping the region with a highly-skilled workforce, particularly in the manufacturing sector, which is strong in the Midlands and will undoubtedly benefit from fresh talent.”
