New UK ‘Space City’ cluster launched in Leicester

A new ‘Space City Leicester’ cluster has been launched in Leicester that will create one of the largest and most connected Enterprise Zones for space-related activities in the UK.

Leicester Space City MapSpace City Leicester represents up to £233m of investment in new and planned facilities on the former Pioneer Park development to the north of Leicester city centre. This includes the University of Leicester’s science and innovation hub Space Park Leicester, the award-winning National Space Centre visitor attraction and the flexible working space and high-tech business incubator facilities.

Workspace will be expanded in the near future to include Dock 3 innovation workspace, and newer industrial and business incubator facilities at Abbey Court.

Space City Leicester is dedicated to space research, production, manufacture and development, and will make Leicester a key part of the UK’s Space Spine. The cluster will also be home to non-space related knowledge economy businesses, those working towards decarbonisation, innovative start-ups and established businesses looking for grow on space.

Space City speakersThe Space City Leicester partnership includes DOCK, Leicester City Council, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), National Space Centre, Space Park Leicester and the University of Leicester. Space City is part of the Loughborough and Leicester Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone.

Building upon the heritage and space-science excellence of the University of Leicester, Space Park Leicester is a world-leading space and Earth observation cluster that has built a collaborative community of industry, academics and students working together to drive growth in the space sector.

Space Park Leicester is forecast to contribute £750m per year to the UK space sector over the next decade and is expected to support more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs in the East Midlands. The launch of Space City comes as Space Park Leicester, the city’s hub for space research and innovation, marks the first anniversary of its opening.

The new Space City Leicester cluster will be promoted to an international audience for the first time at the world’s leading real estate event, MIPIM in Cannes, France from 14-17 March 2023.

Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “Space City Leicester has put our city firmly on the map for research production and manufacture in the space industry, but the good news doesn’t end there as further expansion is planned to meet the demand from businesses keen to locate here from the UK and overseas.”

President and vice-chancellor of the University of Leicester Professor Nishan Canagarajah said: “This is the launchpad for an exciting new chapter in our city’s space history. From its beginnings 60 years ago at the University, we have grown space activity to unlock its huge potential to advance learning, to stimulate inward investment, innovation and growth and to address the challenging problems of our time.”

Andy Reed OBE, co-chair, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), said: “Space City Leicester combines world-leading expertise with major assets such as Space Park Leicester and the National Space Centre to boldly build on what we have here in Leicester and Leicestershire.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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