Chilworth: Southampton Science Park to create landmark office space

The University of Southampton Science Park has embarked on a new construction project to create landmark office premises in Chilworth, generating much-needed Grade A accommodation for the region.

Plans for the new office facility located on the prestigious Benham Campus have been developed as a response to the unprecedented growth that the Science Park has experienced in recent years. The Park is currently full and has a waiting list of potential tenants looking to relocate their business operations to the site.

The construction project will bring the number of buildings on site to 17 and will allow the Park to expand its successful innovation and enterprise activity, welcome new companies, and enable it to cater for existing tenants who are experiencing rapid growth.

Andy Gibbs, associate at Vail Williams, confirms that Benham 5 will comprise 30,600 sq ft of office accommodation over three floors along with meeting and conference rooms and a second onsite coffee shop.

He said: “We are very pleased to act as the sole letting agents for the Southampton Science Park and are confident that there will be significant interest in Benham 5, especially as it will be the first new Grade A office building to be constructed in the region for over seven years.

“The completion of the property will ensure the continued growth of the park and we are confident that our innovative marketing approach will mean a range of new tenants will be attracted as well as accommodating some of the existing first-class occupiers”.

TKL Architects, winner of a design award for its Yellow Dot Nursery at the Science Park, together with Currie and Brown, Rushby Brewster and Peach Maclean, the team behind many Science Park buildings, will be working on the project.

Peter Birkett, CEO of Southampton Science Park, added: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand our accommodation, which will not only help us to meet the needs of current tenants, but also give us the means to attract new businesses.

“It is vital that we support the innovative entrepreneurial businesses which are driving economic development here on the South Coast. We do so not just by providing inspiring surroundings, but also by encouraging the development of a mutually supportive community spirit which has proved a major factor in the growth of tenant companies.”

One such company, mobile technology solutions business Nine23, has already progressed through three increasingly large offices in the two years that it has been at Southampton Science Park.

Stuart McKean, CEO Nine23, commented: “We have been very pleased with our decision to base our operations at Southampton Science Park. It has enabled us to access the right level of accommodation and support in line with our business growth and I foresee that it will continue to do so as our business evolves”.