Space Park Leicester

Space Park Leicester (SPL) is a world-leading space and earth observation facility housing a collaborative community of industry, academics and students working together to drive growth in the space sector, building upon the University of Leicester's heritage of space-science excellence. This project: • Will play a key part in the Climate Emergency and the UK’s participation in the space industry: in 2020, the space sector underpinned approximately 15% of the UK’s economic activity, forecast to grow significantly; SPL will support this, boosting regional economic performance, becoming a strategically important asset in the delivery of the UK’s industrial competitiveness. • Creates a local landmark, redeveloping a contaminated brownfield site in a flood risk zone out of use for twenty years • Has synergy with and builds on the success of a related successful attraction – the National Space Centre, a science museum and tourist attraction few minutes walk away, • Has been a pioneering development: the University committed to building Phase One not knowing if later phases would follow – this project completes Phases One and Two (separately funded), creating a sense of place which attracts companies and researchers to work at SPL, and which act as a regeneration pump-primer for later developments, which may be satellite testing and assembly facilities or similar space-related uses. • Was built on time and within budget despite many developments of the brief and refinements of user requirements while it was being built • Is the result of a successful collaboration the City and University of Leicester and many public sector partners before construction… • ...and during design and construction – the whole team working collaboratively to deliver the best result • Will benefit the surrounding community despite being of a very different scale – at planning application stage only one objection was received. • Has been extremely well-received by stakeholders, the media, industry partners and users. The building: • Acts as an attractive beacon for the site and communicates the mission of SPL, as something to do with people, space and the community • Is an innovative hybrid of industrial research facilities, teaching, meeting spaces and outreach • Is designed to be flexible and adaptable and therefore sustainable in the long term – the reinforced concrete frame is designed to allow future adaptation (library loadings 4kN/m2) to enable changed use of all or part; and future heavy specialist equipment. Zinc (life 100 years+) can be recycled, (windows 60 years). • Has structural capacity for upward extension (Technical Wing) • Has high levels of insulation, low air leakage (<3); design allows window changes / internal reconfiguration without affecting overall appearance • Is low energy, using materials which can be recycled. The site and landscape: • Was reduced during design, avoiding impact on local ecology and protected species (badgers) • Sits happily alongside Ellis Meadows with a very low profile despite being five storeys high • Transforms a dead-end into a welcoming place • Provides sustainable planting, encourages cycling and sustainable means of travel.