2005 IRISH SCIENTIST YEAR BOOK

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Northern Ireland Science Park
Norman Apsley
Science matters

One of the key agents of change in the development of Northern Ireland's knowledge economy is the Northern Ireland Science Park (NISP). Government backed and partnered with Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and the University of Ulster (UU), NISP is well on the way to creating 400,000 sq ft of hi-tech space.

Headquartered on Queen's Island, just one mile from Belfast City centre and Belfast City Airport, the park is the ideal location for knowledge-based enterprises (particularly in the ICT, Life Sciences, Bio-tech and Engineering sectors). Two facilities, a 56,000 sq ft Innovation Centre and QUB's Electronics, Communications and IT Research Institute, have already been completed and work has begun on a further two buildings.


White Star House

The new facilities include a 20,000 sq ft Legacy Building and the 40,000 sq ft White Star House. Named in honour of the shipping line which commissioned the Titanic and her sister ships Britannic and Olympic (all three were built on Queen's Island by Harland & Wolff) the four storey facility is the next logical step in the development of the �100m Science Park project.

Since opening its doors in late 2003, NISP's first facility, the Innovation Centre has proved a resounding success with both indigenous and overseas investors from the knowledge sector. So much so that it has almost achieved 100% occupancy and includes a rich mix of occupants ranging from software firms such as Microsoft and Meridio to Xenosense, a food diagnostics firm which has transformed one of the units into a wet lab.

As more investors continue to express an interest in locating at NISP and with some of the smaller locally based start-up ventures already beginning to outgrow the Innovation Centre, more space is required. White Star House for example will provide units ranging from 5,000 sq ft up to a maximum 35,000 sq compared to the 2,000 sq ft units available in the Innovation Centre.

Both of the new facilities will replicate the standards already available at NISP's existing buildings:

  • �Corporate standards at SME prices

  • �Flexible lease terms and workspace

  • �Tier 1 internet connectivity

  • �Award winning, scaleable and fully converged IT platform

  • �Direct access to Northern Ireland's R&D base.

Through the creation of a zone of excellence, home to the best of Northern Ireland's commercial and academic expertise, NISP will play a vital role in commercialising the region's intellectual property.

For further information please visit www.nisp.co.uk
or contact Professor Norman Apsley, Chief Executive
or Michael Graham, Director of Corporate Estate Management & Facilities,
N.I.S.P.;
Tel: 028 (048 from RoI) 9073 7800; E-mail: [email protected]