Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed as the main contractor by Northumbria University to deliver the new North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST), a landmark £30 million development at the university’s city campus in Newcastle.

The contract follows a successful pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) and will involve the full demolition, new build, and extension of the existing Wynne Jones building. The transformation will see the creation of a cutting-edge facility with a new ground floor and six upper levels, covering approximately 900m².

Once complete, NESST will house satellite manufacturing clean rooms, advanced prototyping labs, teaching laboratories, a Mission Operations Centre, and collaborative spaces designed to support partnerships with companies in the growing space manufacturing supply chain. Construction is already well underway with steelwork now rising on site.

The new centre is set to become a hub for collaboration between academia and industry, enabling internationally significant research and development in space technology. Over the next three decades, NESST is projected to support the creation of more than 350 jobs and contribute over £260 million to the North East economy. The project is backed by substantial investment from the UK Space Agency and Lockheed Martin UK Space.

Mark Gardham, Sector Director at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “We look forward to continuing our long-standing, successful relationship with Northumbria University and delivering this state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Newcastle.

“Our team of experts bring the engineering excellence necessary to work in such close proximity to vital transport infrastructure, collaborating closely with our supply chain partners and local stakeholders to deliver the project safely and efficiently, and make a positive impact on the local community.”

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