UCLan £30m Innovation Centre Moves a Step Closer
The University of Central Lancashire’s £30 million Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC) has moved forward thanks to the appointment of a preferred construction partner.
The company chosen to construct the facility is BAM Construction, with the site located in the centre of Preston city centre. Work is due to get underway at the beginning of next year and will be finished by summer 2018.
Pre-construction Director at BAM Construction, Adrian Blackie, commented: “We will bring our national and international expertise to make the project a success, but as a regional team of people from all across the North West we are also passionate about making a difference by creating many employment, training, educational and social opportunities for UCLan students, staff and the wider local community.”
The EIC is the first significant part of the £200 million UCLan campus masterplan and has been chosen as a signature project within Lancashire’s Strategic Economic Plan, also securing £10.5 million through the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Lancashire Growth Deal with government.
The university also secured a £5 million cash injection from the Higher Education Funding Council for England. This will be used to equip the facility with specialist equipment and advanced technology.
Furthermore, the university has also made an application to the European Regional Development Fund to further enhance engagement between engineering companies in the region and the university.
The EIC is aiming to provide a series of objectives including “reclaiming Lancashire’s role as a national centre for advanced manufacturing”, to ensure that local skills reflect economic and social needs, thus increasing the number of women in engineering careers.
UCLan Chief Operating Officer, Michael Ahern, commented: “The selection of BAM Construction is excellent news and takes us even closer to realising our vision for the EIC.
“BAM has extensive experience in the education sector and recent key projects include the University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute, University College London Academy, and University of Arts London’s St Martin’s Campus.”
