A £300 million redevelopment of a Nuneaton engineering firm has been endorsed by the Secretary of State for Local Government.
Eric Pickles gave his seal of approval over plans to rejuvenate the MIRA technology park. It is now expected that the first work at the automotive engineering site on the A5 will begin at the end of this year.
MIRA chief executive Dr George Gillespie said: “The technology park and our new state-of-the-art engineering headquarters are fundamental to our ongoing expansion plans – so the secretary of state’s decision was crucial. Once consent has been granted we can now press ahead with the development of our new facilities and continue our dialogue with those companies who have expressed a desire to relocate here in order to penetrate the European market.”
MIRA was recently awarded close to £20 million of regional growth funding to assist with the road infrastructure improvements that will serve the new development and facilitate the early phases of building.
Development director Andy Macdonald added: “MIRA targets a highly specialised customer base and the business’ unique spectrum of facilities, testing and consultancy services - plus the opportunity to occupy the new, bespoke buildings that will now be developed here have created an exceptionally strong demand from both international and domestic companies.
“MIRA’s existing technology park has been at capacity for some time – being home to over 32 world-class automotive firms including Jaguar Land Rover and Toyota, so receiving the green-light for a much wider development will ensure we have the facilities to match our capabilities over the next 30 years.”
It is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs and is part of advanced transport engineering, research and test organisation MIRA’s plans to triple its turnover within the next 10 years by attracting investment from China, India and Brazil.
Headquartered on an 850-acre site, the campus will span a total of 1.75 million sq ft and incorporate MIRA’s own new 538,000 sq ft engineering facility.
New buildings will replace outdated existing infrastructure and additional central amenities serving the on-site workforce will include a 100-bed hotel, retail, leisure and restaurant facilities.
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