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Work on the state-of-the-art building on the university’s Moulsecoomb campus, designed by award-winning architects HASSELL, is expected to start in October/November this year and it is scheduled for completion in December 2016.

Professor Andrew Lloyd, Dean of the university’s College of Life, Health and Physical Sciences, said: “We are delighted the city council has approved the project which will complement the ongoing investment to support the expansion of engineering at the University of Brighton.

“This will allow us to establish world-class specialist teaching facilities alongside state-of-the-art research laboratories with our long term partner Ricardo, the Shoreham-based global engineering, strategic and environmental consultancy and specialist manufacturer.”

Councillor Julie Cattell, chair of the planning committee, said: “This is an exciting, state-of the-art, new development which will deliver advances in research and technology in automotive engineering and bring benefits for the local economy, helping to create new jobs and a highly skilled workforce. In this respect the development is in line with our City Plan objectives.”

The Government’s Local Growth Fund is contributing £7m towards the cost of the AEC with a further £7m coming from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the University of Brighton.

The AEC will support the further expansion and enhancement of the partnership between Ricardo and the university to advance the design and development of novel low-carbon internal combustion systems, with the wider objectives of advancing technological knowledge and supporting the advanced training needs of the next generation of engineers for the region.

Mike Clark, the university’s Director of Estate & Facilities Management, said: “I am delighted that the Planning Committee has unanimously approved our planning application and endorsed the university’s desire to seek a solution of the highest design quality.”

Professor Lloyd said: “A central facility is required which will further enhance joint working, allow the installation of state-of-the-art equipment, provide flexibility for future expansion and create opportunities for the cross transfer of knowledge, ideas and practices between Ricardo and the university and support the integration of teaching and research in engineering.

“The region has a high concentration of high-value advanced engineering companies which need to respond to rapid changes in technology and intensive international competition to maintain their global competitiveness.”

The centre will generate around 30-35 additional research posts,15 additional academic/technical engineering posts to support teaching, and it will deliver an additional 60 trained engineering graduates per annum into the local employment market. The centre will increase employment space by 2,680sq.m and provide facilities which will be used to support research and training for local engineering companies.

Other local engineering companies will have access to state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and to specialist expertise. Training and support will also be readily accessible to local companies to increase skill levels in the existing workforce.