|
Nottingham Buildings Nottingham Science Park - Extension Off University Boulevard
|
|||||
|
Nottingham Science Park has been in existence for about twenty years but this section is dedicated to the new development on the 12 acre site between the original park and the Nottingham Tennis Centre. This new phase is being developed by a company named Blueprint that was formerly known as the East Midlands Property Investment Fund (EMPIF)) and is a 50/50 public / private partnership. It is part of an overall plan to make Nottingham a leading UK 'Science City' and will provide new, high quality accommodation for high-tech businesses. The architects for the development are the London firm of Studio Egret West who have attempted to shake off the often boring and predictable image of science parks to produce something that is not only totally different in terms of visual appearance, but also makes full use of advanced eco friendly technologies for insulation, heating and lighting. As far as the first aim is concerned, they have certainly achieved it and have encapsulated what need to be efficient internal working spaces with striking brightly coloured claddings and made use of non-standard window shapes, elevated walkways, external staircases, decking and other details that certainly place it in a new category for this type of development. On my last visit the full works appeared to be complete, including the decking and the planting of the reed beds. It was a fine sunny day and it was therefore possible to clearly see what a fine working environment has been created here, one that can only get better with time as the planting becomes more established. I am unsure as to if all the units are let, but the pair nearest to the nature reserve are certainly now in use with Toyota and Nottingham Castle College as an Automotive and Engineering Training Centre. Land to the west is ready for a further phase of development, but I have no idea as to when this will happen. A report that I read stated that there was an intention to link the site via the decking to Dunkirk Pond in the Beeston Sidings Nature Reserve to the south. I was pleased to see that this is not a physical link via any right of way. The nature reserve is still a separate entity. |
|||||
| A | |||||
| A | |||||
| SCROLL DOWN TO SELECT THEN CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO VIEW ENLARGED IMAGE | |||||
|
- |
|||||
| The
eight
photographs
immediately
below
were
taken
on
12th
October
2008
after
completion
of
the
landscaping
work
to
the
rear
of
the
site. The lighting on this date was more favourable than on my previous visit and enabled me to record this colourful development to its best effect. |
|||||
| - | |||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| NB01030 | NB01031 | NB01032 | NB01033 | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| NB01034 | NB01035 | NB01036 | NB01037 | ||
|
- |
|||||
| All the remaining photographs below were taken on 2nd September 2008 - prior to the completion of the landscaping work at the rear. | |||||
| - | |||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| NB01009 | NB01010 | NB01011 | NB01012 | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| NB01013 | NB01014 | NB01015 | NB01016 | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| NB01017 | NB01018 | NB01019 | NB01020 | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| NB01021 | NB01022 | NB01023 | NB01024 | ||
| - | |||||
| The shots below were taken in The Beeston Sidings Nature Reserve, a small city oasis featuring Dunkirk Pond which is used for private fishing. I am pleased that this site looks like remaining a separate entity with a separate entrance. Any significant increase in visitor numbers resulting from direct access from the new development would soon destroy its tranquillity and no doubt also spoil the fishing. | |||||
| - | |||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| NM00444 | NM00445 | NM00446 | NM00447 | ||
| SCROLL UP TO SELECT THEN CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO VIEW ENLARGED IMAGE | |||||
| A | |||||
| a | |||||
| - | |||||
| - | |||||
| - | |||||
| - | |||||
|
|||||