Work starts on Cardiff Innovation Campus
14 August 2018
Work starts next month to build Cardiff University’s state-of-the-art Innovation Campus.
Bouygues UK will transform a former disused railway yard into a centrepiece for innovation. Scheduled to open in 2021, Cardiff Innovation Campus (CIC) boasts exciting new centres that act as a magnet for research and investment.
The Campus on Maindy Road will build partnerships across private, public and third sectors to exploit new ideas.
Home to two world-leading scientific research establishments - the Institute for Compound Semiconductors and Cardiff Catalysis Institute – CIC will also host SPARK, the world’s first social science research park, and an Innovation Centre – a creative space for start-ups, spinouts and partnerships.
Nick Toulson, Community Engagement Officer at Bouygues UK said: “Whilst delivering this significant development for Cardiff University, we will ensure that this project contributes to increasing local skills, development and employment in Wales. We will provide a minimum of 30 work placements, create over 35 new job and apprentice opportunities, and deliver in excess of 1685 training weeks. We will also facilitate placements for students studying architecture and ensure we work closely with the local community throughout the duration of the scheme.
The first step of this process is to hold a Community Information Drop-In afternoon where we invite local residents and businesses and the wider community to join us to discuss the construction programme, view architects plans, computer models and experience a virtual reality tour of the Innovation Centre.”
Professor Colin Riordan, President and Vice-Chancellor, Cardiff University, said: “This second phase of Cardiff Innovation Campus will turn a disused brownfield site into public facilities, cafes and social spaces on Maindy Road. The construction programme will run for three years and the project will bring long-term social and economic prosperity by creating a ‘Home of Innovation’ that unlocks the power of research.
“Cardiff University is transforming its estate for the 21st Century - the biggest campus upgrade for a generation. CIC will create jobs, act as a crucible for ideas, and allow future generations of students with great ideas to find new ways of tackling pressing global problems.”
Cardiff University and Bouygues UK will be holding an open drop-in event for local residents and councillors at Cathays Community Centre on Maindy Road, between 4pm and 7pm on Tuesday 21 August 2018. Experts from Bouygues UK and Cardiff University will be on hand to talk about the construction project and the science behind the new buildings.
