Work completed on £5.7 million space centre next to Aylesbury

Construction on a new high-tech space centre costing £5.7 million next to Aylesbury has now finished.

Technology company, Satellite Applications Catapult, confirmed this morning (January 11), that work on the development at Westcott Venture Park is now completed.

Within the development which totals 27,000 square feet between two units, are: a laboratory, an office and warehouse space.

Satellite Applications Catapult has claimed the warehouse space surrounding the development on a 10-year lease.

The development will be used as an in-orbit space manufacturing site and contains a healthy living lab.

The company works with other organisations to produce specialist in-space facilities and equipment.

Also, Satellite Applications Catapult claims to have experts in robotics, manufacturing, in-orbit operations, and much more working at its sites.

The new site is located at the junction of Wellington Drive and Avenue A, it has been named, Building 4000.

One of the key features at the development is the MetalFAB1 Additive Manufacturing System - the first 3D printer designed for building rocket engines to feature at Westcott.

Organisers advise that financial barriers have made getting access to this sort of equipment difficult in the past.

A Catapult spokesperson said: "The Labs are well-positioned to make use of the Catapult’s existing facilities at Westcott, located adjacent to the Business Incubation Centre, Westcott Innovation Centre, and Future Networks Development Centre just a stone’s throw away."

Rod Mordey, Westcott Asset Manager said: “The new development is a result of investment by industry and government, together with a £3.7m outlay from Westcott owners PATRIZIA Hanover PUT, which enabled a matched funding grant of £2m, from the Getting Building Fund (GBF) through the Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

"We are soon to complete on the final letting of 11,250 sq ft at Unit C to another company within the healthcare sector.

“Westcott is a place for businesses to secure their future within a community of technology innovators and in a location that offers unrivalled security and space to grow. We continue to invest in the park’s future in order to retain and attract more businesses to this thriving community.”

Patriza, an international real estate investment company completed the work on the high-tech building.

Stuart Martin, CEO at the Satellite Applications Catapult, said: “We are really pleased to be able to further expand our offering to support the growing community of space businesses at Westcott, with both cutting-edge equipment and the knowledge and expertise of our teams.

“Activity at Westcott in recent years reflects the burgeoning excitement within the space sector, with companies seeing an ever-growing range of new commercial opportunities. We are delighted to be part of this development journey and working alongside the Westcott Venture Park and Buckinghamshire LEP to build the space community here.”

Further investment into the business park that the Building 4000, has been constructed in has been promised.

Richard Harrington, CEO of Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “This new facility at Westcott is a significant development towards growing the critical core of the UK Space Industry and helping develop skills and talent as part of a world class innovation campus in the heart of Buckinghamshire.

“We are delighted to support this facility, that contributes to our Enterprise Zone programme, with a £2m Getting Building Fund award for the exciting new open access 2,500 square metre centre. This project signals the next evolutionary step of the Westcott site to attract new business and investment to this globally leading centre of excellence in space propulsion.”