David Cameron

The Prime Minister David Cameron mentioned the Knowledge Gateway business and research park at the Colchester Campus as he outlined his long term economic plan for the East of England.

During a visit to Felixstowe Port, Mr Cameron explained his priorities for driving growth in the Eastern region including the development of new projects such as the Knowledge Gateway.

• See full announcement by Prime Minister

Registrar at the University of Essex Bryn Morris said: “The Prime Minister’s mention of the Knowledge Gateway in his speech shows the importance of this project to the Eastern region in the coming years.

“Through the Knowledge Gateway research and business park we are looking to drive forward an ideas led economy in north Essex by delivering new space for innovative and ambitious companies who want to base themselves close to our Colchester Campus.

“Businesses based on the Knowledge Gateway can benefit from our world-leading researchers including data analytics, artificial intelligence and logistics, business support services, talented students and graduates and our excellent facilities.”

Companies are now moving into the first units at our Parkside Office Village on the Knowledge Gateway and the feedback from business and partners is giving the University the confidence to take forward plans to provide more space.

An interest free loan of £850,000 has just been awarded to the University through the Growing Places Fund scheme overseen by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership. This money will be used to build three more units at Parkside and the University is looking for further funding to support the construction of seven more units as part of phase two of Parkside.

Mr Morris said: “We are already creating a cluster of knowledge based companies at Parkside and we are particularly interested in working with businesses which share our passion for our specialist research areas such as data analytics, financial services, professional services, the creative industries and technology.”

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Intelligent mapping specialist Smart Networked Environments moved onto Parkside just before the new year, Bowater Holographics is taking over their unit this spring and a leading software company is about to move onto the site.

Other units are being used as a base for the Games Hub – a project nurturing the next generation of app developers – and student entrepreneurs taking forward business ideas they’ve developed while studying at Essex.

The University is also developing plans for an Innovation Centre which will offer large-scale business space with onsite support and generous communal spaces, plus areas for hot-desking and smaller office suites.