St John’s College’s Innovation Centre will begin its next phase of development in November, involving the construction of two new office buildings and a transport hub.

Owned by St John’s College, the North-Cambridge centre houses and offers services to a range of science and technology businesses.

The expansion, which is estimated to be worth £50 million, is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2027.

The Park is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating, a sustainability award, with its plans including rooftop solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, and a green roof on the transport hub.

Central to the developments is the Dirac Building, designed by Sheppard Robson. Comprising five open-plan floors of 7,900 square metres, the office block will have a double-height reception space and two external terraces.

The building is designed to be “Covid secure,” with automatic doors, toilets, and taps.

There will also be new gym and shower facilities, while the transport hub will feature a multi-storey car park, electric car charging stations, and bike services.

The engineering company overseeing the development is Volker Fitzpatrick, who recently built Cambridge City Council’s new operational hub on Cowley Road.

Suzie Wood, Head of Investment Property at St John’s, said: “The appointment of VolkerFitzpatrick is a hugely significant milestone, enabling the College to deliver the next chapter in its long-term vision for this crucial hub – providing much needed, sustainable, forward-thinking workspaces in the north of the city.”

St John’s Innovation Park is part of the North Cambridge Research and Development Cluster. Its 21 acres have been the College’s property since 1534, but the Park’s first building – St John’s Innovation Centre – was opened in 1987.

Companies currently on the site include PwC, Darktrace, Cambridge GaN Devices, and Cambrionix.

Stuart Deverill, Managing Director of VolkerFitzpatrick’s Building Division, said: “This development exemplifies our commitment to building sustainable, high-quality spaces that meet the needs of forward-looking businesses. With our strong track record and experienced team, we look forward to bringing this important next chapter of St John’s Innovation Park to life.”

The news follows last week’s announcement by Cambridge Science Park – owned by Trinity College – of its plans for the next 30 years. The Park is seeking community input on the proposals until October 10th.

Trinity also promised sustainable expansion, to which Cambridge Climate Society responded: “The university, the colleges – in this case particularly Trinity College – and affiliates are uniquely positioned to pioneer sustainable, regenerative, and climate-friendly development. We are happy that there is a commitment to this role and hope that action follows words.

“At the same time, we urge that this reckoning and commitment must expand to the development of the estate more generally and is yet to be reflected in all development and finance practices.”

This comes as the government plans to turn Cambridge and Oxford into “Europe’s Silicon Valley,” which Chancellor Rachel Reeves claims will add £78 billion to the UK economy.