Green light given for University of Manchester’s new Henry Royce Institute

The University of Manchester's full planning application for the £235m Henry Royce Institute has been approved by Manchester City Council's planning committee.
 
The Henry Royce Institute forms part of the university's £1bn ten-year plan to create a world-class campus for students and staff. The international flagship project will encompass nine key areas of materials research, including graphene, and focusing on the themes of energy, engineering, functional and soft materials.

The designs for the Henry Royce Institute were revealed in December 2016 and showcased the prominent role the proposed ten-storey scheme will play within the university campus. Located at the heart of the University of Manchester’s Engineering Campus, the 16,000sqm building will house world-leading materials scientists, state-of-the-art equipment and collaborative space for industrial engagement. It will enable the UK to grow its world-leading research and innovation base in advanced materials science and technology.
Diana Hampson, Director of Estates and Facilities at the University, said:

”This is one of our major capital projects and forms an important part of our vision for the campus and will benefit from its location, close to the National Graphene Institute (NGI) and Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC).”

Construction of the proposed institute is due to start in May 2017 and is expected to be fully operational by late 2019.

Ramboll is providing civil, structural, vibration, fire and acoustic engineering services. Project and cost management is provided by Arcadis, ARUP is the building services engineer, NBBJ are the architect, Gilllespies are the landscape architect and the main contractor is Laing O’Rourke.