Green light for Salford robotics centre

The 5plus-designed centre of excellence for intelligent automation and robotics, part of Salford’s £800m, 240-acre masterplan, has been given the go-ahead.

The 23,000 sq ft centre will house robotics and manufacturing labs, teaching space, an automotive laboratory on the ground floor, and roof terraces.

It will serve as a hub for the university’s robotics and automation specialists can work with SMEs using to provide piloting, testing and experimenting with digital innovation.

Disciplines covered by the development include robotics for intelligent infrastructure; digital automation and supply chain improvement; and health, wellbeing, and integrated care technologies.

The University already has an existing robotics function, being home to the National Advanced Robotics Research Centre since 1987.

The existing technology house on the site, which is bounded by Frederick Road to the north, will be demolished to make way for the project. Plans were submitted in July and have now been approved by Salford City Council.

The proposed robotics centre sits within the wider £800m masterplan’s ‘innovation district’, which will be the main employment area and will offer incubation and enterprise space for start-ups and SMEs.

Earlier this month, Place North West revealed the four parties shortlisted for the masterplan.

Tony Skipper, director at 5plus, said: “We’re very pleased to see this landmark scheme gain planning approval which involved some incredibly hard work from the 5plus team.

“We have absolute faith in Salford’s potential as a leading global city; it has a long history as a centre of creativity, culture and science, and it will be exciting to help continue its journey – this time around as a major hub for tech, robotics, and engineering.

“We’re looking forward to bringing the project to life in partnership with Salford University and with the support of Salford City Council.”