PORTON Science Park has secured a £2 million boost from the government to create a research and innovation centre.

The funding is from its Getting Building Fund. Three hundred projects across the country will benefit from a share of the £900million investment to build homes and infrastructure and create jobs.

It will go towards the creation of a research and innovation centre providing meeting and conference space, workspace, laboratory bench space, which will be developed in partnership with PHE and DSTL.

The innovation centre aims to enable collaborative working between safe, secure SME's and the establishments at Porton Down, Dstl, Public Health England, and wider higher education institutions on research projects.

The news has been welcomed by Salisbury MP John Glen, who said: “I am delighted that Porton Science Park has secured £2million investment from the government’s Getting Building Fund.

"The extra funding for Porton Science Park forms part of an overall package of £900million from the government, which is specifically targeted at boosting jobs, skills and infrastructure.

"The key to securing South Wiltshire’s economic recovery will be to attract more inward investment into our communities. The 3,500m2 research and innovation centre will help do exactly that, acting as a magnet for further investment and the creation of new highly-skilled, well-paid jobs.”