£5m Low Carbon Innovation Hub to transform green charging and testing at MIRA Technology Park

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 6 July 2022

Plans have been approved for a £5m green infrastructure project linked to aLow Carbon Innovation Hub that will support tech companies as they focus ondeveloping low carbon technologies.

• Project will provide new green infrastructure to support tech companies
• Hub will transform charging and testing of electric and hydrogen vehicles
• Plans approved by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council

Funding has been agreed which will transform an existing building at MIRATechnology Park into a low carbon research centre, bringing with it transformationalcharging and testing infrastructure for electric and hydrogen vehicles.

The investment will be made through a partnership between the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) and site owner MIRA Technology Park.

The new Low Carbon Innovation Hub will entail the £2.5m refurbishment by HORIBA MIRA of the existing technology building, which fronts the A5.

This will be supported by a £2.5m investment from the LLEP and HBBC in the installation of significant electrical vehicle (EV) and hydrogen infrastructure to aid safe testing and handling of EV and related systems at the Leicestershire Enterprise Zone site.

The charging infrastructure will help engineers and scientists on the site to further research and development around battery development, hydrogen fuel cells and other low carbon and alternative fuel technologies.

The £2.5m LLEP investment in the low carbon infrastructure leverages the delivery of the Innovation Hub, thereby attracting a growing number of players in the transport sector which are developing low-carbon technologies.

LLEP Interim Chair Andy Reed OBE said: 

“The Low Carbon InnovationHub supports the LLEP’s goal for coming years of supporting economic growththrough sustainability and innovation.

“The site offers world-class facilities to the mobility sector. Projects such as thiswill help it continue bringing in employers and creating quality jobs while alsosupporting wider low carbon testing and development.”

A planning application for the project has now been approved by HBBC.

Bill Cullen, Chief Executive, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, said: 

“I welcome this further investment in low carbon technologies at MIRA Technology Park, which is a world class facility on our doorstep in Hinckley and Bosworth.

“This will strongly align to the delivery of the council’s ambitions around climate change and carbon reduction and boosting local jobs in this sector.

“This scheme will be another great example of the impact achieved via the strong collaboration between the council, LLEP and MIRA Technology Park.”

Companies based at the technology park are at the forefront of the latest automotivetechnologies. It is a location of choice for attracting foreign direct investment.

As well as investment in the development of low carbon technologies, the site hasmade significant investment in facilities for testing autonomous vehicles.

Tim Nathan, Managing Director at MIRA Technology Park, said:

“We’re continuallyinvesting in maintaining our position as a leading hub for the development of lowcarbon technologies and R&D.

“With the industry undergoing a revolution in mobility technologies, these investments futureproof our capability ensuring we can best support businesses across the technology, engineering, and advanced manufacturing sectors.”

A separate, planning application recently sought permission to buildnew £6.25m gateway infrastructure at the site.

Supported by LLEP investment, the gateway will help to unlock the next major phaseof the £300m planned development and create hundreds of new jobs.

• Read the LLEP’s strategic plan for creating high-tech jobs in Leicester and Leicestershire at https://bit.ly/LLEPgrowthstrategy

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