Member Article

Work begins on £7.4m NETPark Explorer buildings

Construction work is set to begin on the latest phase of the North East Technology Park (NETPark), based in Sedgefield, County Durham.

The new £7.4m Explorer development, being built by construction group Interserve, stands as an integral part in the site attracting fast-growing, high-tech businesses.

Business Durham, which manages NETPark on behalf of Durham County Council, received £3.2m investment from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Local Growth Fund towards the cost of the two new buildings, which will create additional space for research and development companies who need room to prototype and scale up to manufacture on site.

One of Explorer’s first tenants will be Ibex Innovations, which started with a virtual office at NETPark and is now at the forefront of x-ray imaging technology with 17 employees. The firm’s technology is being used in industries such as medical, food and industrial imaging.

Dr Neil Loxley, Chief Executive at IBEX, said: “NETPark has proven to be a great environment for a technology start-up such as IBEX, providing high quality facilities that have been well-matched to our changing needs at different points in our growth.

“However, it is the quality of support and the friendly can-do attitude of NETPark staff that really sets NETPark apart from other business parks. We are really looking forward to our move into one of the new Explorer units, which will provide us with the space and facilities to accommodate our next stage of development.”

The first tenants are expected to move into Explorer as soon as the buildings are complete early next year. NETPark’s dynamic and supportive environment will help accelerate their growth and tap into global markets.

Simon Goon, managing director of Business Durham, said: “This exciting next phase in NETPark’s expansion will open up possibilities for growing companies wanting more space, be they existing businesses on the park or companies who want a presence here.

“Many of NETPark’s existing companies have expressed a desire to expand on the park as they know it’s a great place to grow and get the right support to reach global markets. We’ve also had interest from companies outside of the region.”

Hans Moller, innovation director at the North East LEP, said: “NETPark’s expansion with the creation of ‘Explorer’ shows that science parks have a key role to play in the region – not only are they the go to place for people and companies with great ideas and ambition, but they play a key role in creating more and better jobs for our workforce.

“I look forward to seeing Explorer’s tenants flourishing and to more science parks being developed in the North East with NETPark as a fantastic role model.”