UK: A 1 September opening date has been announced for Dock 3 – 5: workspaces and light industrial units that have been set up to attract high tech and innovative businesses in Space City, Leicester.
As the net carbon buildings near completion, ten per cent of workspaces have been pre-let to firms including Kazzoo IT Solutions, Somerbys IT and The VoIP Shop. Dock 3 – 5 is now open to applications from other relevant businesses and organisations.
Positioned next to the National Space Centre and close to the city centre, Docks 1 and 2 have already hosted companies such as Red Sensors, Reactive Components and Innowise Solutions and Serjeants.
Dock is owned and run by Leicester City Council and its new workspaces start from £15 per sq ft.
Opening in a month and a half, Docks 3 – 5 will offer 46,000 feet of workspace in total, comprising 45 offices and nine industrial units for light manufacturing. Lease terms are designed to be flexible, from two years, with three months’ notice to break.
The Space City area is one of the largest and most connected enterprise zones for space-related activities in the UK, with firms located there including Rolls-Royce, the UK Space Agency and Airbus. To be based at Dock, organisations need to fulfil certain criteria around the downstream space sector, high tech, sustainability and innovation, or support companies working for such organisations.
As Leicestershire’s first net carbon zero workspace, the development has included ample space for bikes and walking routes sign posted for tenants and guests. For those who need to drive, electric chargers and car parking are available.
Crystal Carter, workspace development manager at Dock, said: “Offering highly finished offices and industrial units within a sought-after Space City location, we’re very much looking forward to Docks 3 – 5 opening their doors. Our first Dock development has not only proved popular, a strong community has also emerged there.
“The new Docks 3 – 5 should allow us to extend this community further, in a modern, net zero carbon environment,” added Carter.
Leicester City Council appointed Leicester firm Brackley Property Developments [BPD] as its development partner for the Dock expansion project. Construction work was carried out by county-based Wilten Construction Ltd.
A community dedicated to space and earth observation, Space City Leicester is part of the Loughborough and Leicester Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone. The Space City Leicester partnership includes Space Park Leicester, University of Leicester, National Space Centre, Dock by Leicester City Council, and the Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership [LLBSP].
