EMCCA to pump in £1.5m for Derby nuclear facility

Work has now begun on a Derby City Council owned building which is hoping to reclaim a place at the heart of the city’s innovative nuclear industry.

A £1.5m investment from the East Midlands combined authority will convert the former Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre on Infinity Park into a prototyping centre, offering workspaces tailored for organisations across the nuclear, hydrogen and advanced manufacturing supply chains.

The Stephen George & Partners-designed AMRC building was opened in 2023 after a year-long build which cost in excess of £20m.

The Sheffield University-backed project was originally designed to create a research and development base for companies working on the next phase of small nuclear reactors in the Midlands, but the AMRC – which also operated from bases in Rotherham and Birkenhead – was mothballed in Derby during 2024 when the project was restructured by the university.

Planned upgrades to the building will create high-quality research and development spaces, which East Midlands mayor Claire Wards says will bring together local supply chain companies and research organisations to boost the region’s innovation industries.

“The Infinity Prototyping Centre is exactly the kind of forward-thinking project we want to champion,” she said.

“I am focused on unlocking the region’s full potential through both the Investment Fund and the East Midlands Investment Zone programme. This project is a key part of that ambition. It’s accelerating growth in advanced manufacturing and clean energy, and ensuring Derby and the wider region remain at the forefront of innovation for years to come.”

The Infinity Prototyping Centre will attract new clients and partners, reinforcing Derby’s position as a destination for innovation-led business.

Around 11 jobs are expected to be created at the new facility, with works planned to be completed this summer.

Cllr Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, added: The IPC is a great example of partnership working in action. The City Council is collaborating with its partners including the University of Derby and Infinity Technology Group Ltd to deliver this project, which will offer a huge boost to our local economy and reaffirm Derby’s place as a national leader for innovation, manufacturing and world-class research and development.

“The investment from EMCCA will give new life for the building and will allow us to deliver on our ambitions for our city – that it is one of sustainable growth, technological leadership, and a hub for advanced manufacturing.”