Ceremony held to mark latest phase of Fareham Innovation Centre extension

The topping out event at Fareham Innovation Centre, at Daedalus, saw town mayor Councillor Geoff Fazackarley perform the ceremonial duty of hanging a door inside the facility.

The new space will provide 3,400sq m of floor space, 33 offices, five workshops and conference facilities.

Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of Fareham Borough Council, which developed and funded the centre, welcomed the latest phase.

He said: ‘It’s great to see progress is being made on the extension, adding to the excellent facilities already on offer.

‘When it’s finished we anticipate around 300 highly-skilled new job opportunities will be created, providing a boost to both Daedalus and the local economy.’

Fareham Innovation Centre, which opened in May 2015, is run by Oxford Innovation.

Jo Willett, managing director of the company’s innovation centres division, said: ‘The centre has become a hub of excellence for marine, automotive, aerospace and engineering sectors.

‘It has a vibrant business community of 40-plus businesses using the fully-occupied 24 offices, 15 workshops and hired conference and meeting rooms.

‘The new extension will further stimulate enterprise, creating inward investment, employment and strengthening the area’s supply chains.’

The centre is for new businesses and especially those that specialise in the engineering, aerospace, aviation and marine industries.

Work on the extension is expected to be finished in spring next year.

Its development on Daedalus has been supported by £2m funding from Solent Local Enterprise Partnership.