Nottingham has been showing off its potential as a Science City to the sector's property professionals.
Vision Nottingham, the city's inward investment agency, set out its stall at the UK Science Park Conference, held at the East Midlands Conference Centre.
Property professionals took a look at "Laboratories for the Future". And they heard that Nottingham was a "sleeping giant" just awakening.
Nearly 100 companies attended the Scientific Laboratory Show and the exhibition was expected to draw more than 750 visitors.
Nottingham BioCity's chief executive Dr Glenn Crocker told delegates that having the right science property infrastructure and the availability of quality laboratory space was crucial to the growth of science companies.
He said: "It is great to showcase what is going on in Nottingham. It is important to examine where laboratories will go in the future - the design, who goes in them and where they should be.
With the University of Nottingham Innovation Park, the Science Park, the proposed Medipark near the Queen's Medical Centre and the BioCity development there was, he said, nowhere in the country where there is
"such as flurry of activity" in this sector."
"Nottingham is leading in the range of property it has for the science sector. It is partly Nottingham's heritage.
People are just waking up to that. It is a sleeping giant."
Simon Green, Nottingham's director of sustainable development, examined factors outside the laboratory which have a major impact on what is achieved inside them. He said harnessing and retaining skills and knowledge was a prerequisite for ensuring the UK's science companies remained competitive in a global economy.
The audience included research businesses looking for places to locate or develop their own facilities.
Deputy leader of Nottingham City Council, Coun Graham Chapman, said: "As a designated Science City it is a great honour for Nottingham to hold the conference and a chance for Nottingham to showcase its enviable science property credentials.
"[It] gives global companies the opportunity to have future technology at their fingertips."
Vision Nottingham launched a new publication, "Developing Innovative Space - Nottingham science property offer".
richard.tresidder@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
Source: Nottingham Evening Post
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