£81m engineering facility to open at Sheffield
A new state of the art engineering facility is to be built at the University of Sheffield.
The £81million centre, which has just been approved by the City Council's planning officers, is expected to create up to 500 new jobs and provide a big boost to the local economy.
Pro vice chancellor Professor Mike Hounslow, head of the university's Faculty of Engineering, said: "The decision to approve the university's planning application is excellent news.
"The research we carry out in the faculty is translated into practical applications at our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, attracting world class companies such as Boeing, Rolls Royce and Siemens to carry out their business here.
"We now await final sign off from the Secretary of State to approve the demolition of the Edwardian extension to the Jessop Hospital but, with the Council's support, we are confident that the case for approval has been fully made.
Construction on the new development is expected to begin in 2013, and the building should be fully operational by 2016.
1600 additional engineering students are expected by 2020, with around 400 additional staff recruited as a consequence of that growth.
