Enterprise zone to fast-track £35m Digital Plaza
Birmingham Science Park Aston (BSPA) is set to accelerate its timescales for developing its £35m Digital Plaza, Insider can reveal. The park is now seeking a joint venture partner after the government approved the designation of the site within the Birmingham and Solihull LEP’s enterprise zone.
The enterprise zone confirmation, which was given late last week, means BSPA will fast-track the timescales for the development, with a planning application now expected in spring 2012.
Subject to planning, construction work could commence in September 2012.
The enterprise zone will be span 64 acres from Birmingham city centre, the government confirmed on Thursday (28 July).
Dr David Hardman, chief executive of Birmingham Science Park Aston said: "Since announcing plans for the £35m Digital Plaza earlier this year, we have been overwhelmed with the response from prospective joint venture partners, as well as potential future occupiers. This development is so greatly needed as a beacon of Birmingham’s innovation agenda.
"We are confident of being able to deliver the first phase of the Digital Plaza speculatively, which is unheard of in this market. The enterprise zone designation will help to make this a reality."
The Digital Plaza will be developed next to the Park’s Faraday Wharf building. It will comprise four buildings, specifically designed for accommodating hi-tech companies.
The four proposed Digital Plaza buildings will provide a total area of more than 100,000 sq ft of space, with the first building - iCentrum - expected to be about 40,000 sq ft.
Councillor Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council and chairman of Birmingham Science Park Aston, said: "We are driving forward with our business strategy to make Birmingham Science Park Aston a world-leading science park, fit for 2020 and beyond. Many of our initiatives and partnerships do not rely on developing new buildings at the Park, but we need to respond to tenants’ needs and the considerable uptake in space here in the past 12 months.
"In order to remain competitive, we must create buildings which are specifically designed for companies in the hi-tech and digital gaming sectors and for the digitally savvy founders of these ventures. As the Prime Minister has stated in his announcement about Enterprise Zones, it is these knowledge-based businesses which have the potential for high growth and will be a key factor in driving our economy out of recession."
