City council backs future plans for Lincoln Science and Innovation Park

A masterplan, outlining the vision for the development of the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park (LSIP) over the next decade, has been approved by City of Lincoln Council’s Executive.

The ambitious £50 million project aims to transform the 12.16 hectares of land off Tritton Road and adjacent to the Western Growth Corridor into a focal point for science and technology innovation and investment across the region.

The draft masterplan was approved and endorsed by the city council, in the context of its adopted Growth Strategy at a meeting on August 3.

City of Lincoln Council, in partnership with LSIP Ltd (University of Lincoln and Lincolnshire Co-op) appointed LDA Design in April 2014, to produce a masterplan for the site, which has divided the project into four distinct phases.

Phase 1 consists of the already completed Think Tank, Joseph Banks Laboratories and Minster House.

Rounding off phase 1 is the £6.75 million Boole Technology Centre, with work expected to begin this month and to take around nine months to complete.

The £6.75 million Boole Technology Centre will house between 100 and 200 highly skilled employees.

The centre will be a combination of laboratories, workshops, office technical equipment and shared working space.

Phase 2, which will go before planning in the early part of 2016, occupies the land to the west of phase 1 and Poplar Avenue.

This phase consists of the already completed privately owned HomeLet Building and could also provide space for investors, research and innovation institutes and social facilities.

The proposed development of phase 3 to the far west of the site would see a road constructed to link the end of Ruston Way with the end of Beevor Street, thereby creating a continuous loop road serving the park and providing access to development plots between it and the railway.

Phase 4 is located to the south of Beevor Street on land currently occupied by the large warehouses.

Lincolnshire Science and Innovation Park Masterplan site map.

The proposals consist of a series of larger single or double storey buildings whose height reflects the height of the current warehouses.

Where the proposed buildings are single storey the large volume allows for a wide range of uses such as:

• Engineering laboratories
• Testing facilities
• Conference space
• Cinema
• Film studios

The total cost of producing the draft masterplan has been £33,485.50 with funding coming in the form of equal donations of £15,229.25 from LSIP Ltd and the city council, plus £3,000 from Lincolnshire County Council.

Lincoln Science and Innovation Park Director Tom Blount. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Business

Director of the park Tom Blount said: “We are delighted that the city council have given such strong backing. We believe the park will bring a transformation not only for Lincoln but for the wider Lincolnshire economy.

“Whilst the Science and Innovation Park is clearly going to be a huge asset for the university and technology firms in the county, we’re also passionate about creating a new space in an area of the city that has become run down.

“We look forward to developing new creative opportunities as well as exhibition space and even create a park.

“It isn’t just about the businesses that are located on the site, it’s also about engaging with the wider public and encouraging school children thinking about career options and people in employment gaining new skills.

“Work is underway on the Boole Technology Centre, we are about to put up fencing and remove asbestos to demolish the building there.

“We are in the process of putting together a package for phase two and are hoping to be on site within the next two years.”

Read more about the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park vision from its director Tom Blount in Issue 23 of Lincolnshire Business magazine.