Work began today (Wednesday) on demolition of former Ruston Bucyrus warehouses on Green Lane, Lincoln to make way for the new £6.75m Boole Technology Centre, part of the growing Lincoln Science and Innovation Park.
The LSIP is a public/private sector partnership owned by the University of Lincoln and the Lincolnshire Co-op, and the Boole Technology Centre is part-funded from the government’s Growth Deal through the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
David Dexter, Vice Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Cllr Colin Davie from the LEP board and Tom Blount, Director of LSIP, were on hand on Wednesday 7th October to mark the start of the demolition process, which signals the next step in the park’s development.
Cllr Colin Davie, Executive Member for Economic Development at Lincolnshire County Council and Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership board member, said: “Lincoln is very much a city on the up, and the LEP is keen to build on that momentum by supporting and investing in projects like the new technology centre.
“I'm sure this new facility will add to our reputation as a world-class place to do business, attracting new businesses and investors to the area.
“It will encourage entrepreneurship, drive up levels of innovation, create skilled jobs and improve the competitiveness of our local firms, nationally and internationally. And that all means a major boost for the local economy.”
The centre will provide premium grade office space and laboratories within a mixture of refurbished and brand new buildings. The development will retain the existing art deco 1930s substation, which is to be incorporated as an entrance hall and meeting space. Two new wings will also be constructed over two to three storeys.
The centre will stand at 2,398 sqm and is expected to accommodate between 10 and 15 growing businesses, supporting over 250 businesses over the next decade through its outreach into key supply chains. This will directly create or safeguard 53 jobs.
The buildings will also accommodate communal areas and meeting rooms that will be available to both tenants and firms seeking to make use of the science park’s wider facilities.
This scheme will complete development of phase 1 of the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park. In addition, it is hoped that completion of the centre will also encourage the redevelopment of the adjoining 83 hectares of brownfield land which form phases two and three of the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park.
The attached photo shows (left to right) Cllr Colin Davie, Tom Blount and David Dexter in one of the buldings shortly before demolition.
