University of Leicester
Space Park Leicester
The challenge
Award-winning campus for cutting-edge space science
The University of Leicester had huge ambitions for a contaminated brownfield site in a flood-risk zone, unused for over 20 years. They wanted to turn the site into a generator of social, economic and environmental improvement by building a landmark facility to support the expanding growth of the space sector. At the end of a cul-de-sac, inhabited by badgers, next to a Grade II Listed building, it presented a whole raft of design, construction and build challenges.
Photo credit: Martine Hamilton Knight for SEH Architects
The role we played
As the project’s construction consultants, Pulse Consult developed a brief, procured the project team, oversaw contractor procurement, handled construction contracts and managed main contract works on site. We liaised with the stakeholders, looked after project programming and planning, managed change controls, and oversaw testing, handover and final fit-out of the buildings.
Despite the many complexities of the seven-year project, and added restrictions of the pandemic, we led a highly collaborative team, building in sustainable, regenerative elements at every stage.
Photo credit: Martine Hamilton Knight for SEH Architects
The results
Completed on time, on budget, and opened by astronaut Tim Peake in 2022, Space Park Leicester is a beautiful, sustainable, award-winning campus of four and five storey pavilions, clad in recyclable zinc, complete with solar panels and air source heat pumps.
Designed to adapt to changing needs, it’s an example of imaginative, regenerative use of publicly owned land to promote economic growth. Crucially, as well as being home to world-leading research, its open campus welcomes the local community, using the built environment to inspire future generations.
We have an amazing building. It has really delivered everything we wanted in terms of the quality of the environment and the variety of interaction spaces and laboratory facilities… We believe we have created something unique in the world.
Martin Barstow
|Director of Strategic Partnerships
|Space Park Leicester
The stats
£750m
Forecast contribution to the UK space sector each year
2.5k
Jobs supported
Won
Sustainable Project of the Year, East Midlands Property Awards 2022
Won
Regeneration Project, ProCon Leicester Awards 2022
This was a bold project to create an exciting space industry institute, linked with the nearby National Space Centre. It transformed a contaminated brownfield site in a flood risk zone into a generator of social, economic and environmental improvement.
Judging Panel
|East Midlands Property Awards
Services provided for this project
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