A new ‘Space City Leicester’ cluster has been launched in Leicester and it’s being boasted as “a place for space and high tech businesses”.
£233-million is being invested to create what’s being described as one of the largest and most connected Enterprise Zones for space-related activity in the UK.
The cluster includes the long established National Space Centre, Space Park Leicester (which opened in 2022) and the flexible working space and high-tech business incubator facilities at Dock and Dock 2, which are home to around 40 smaller high tech, low carbon businesses employing around 400 people.
The new investment will expand to include a Dock 3 innovation workspace and new facilities for non-space related knowledge economy businesses, like those working towards decarbonisation and innovative startups.
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.
“It will create a world-leading cluster of research and development that will bring growth, investment, and many hundreds of jobs to our region.”
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… Space City Leicester is exciting, it is bold and it is built upon a heritage of success. I would like to thank all our supporters, industrial partners, LLEP and the Leicester City Council for their steadfast commitment to this ambitious endeavor.”