The Gauteng Development Facilitation Act Tribunal has approved the University of Pretoria's application to establish a science and technology park on a part of its experimental farm which will become The Innovation Hub's main centre.
The Innovation Hub is one of 11 Blue IQ development projects and is a joint initiative between the Gauteng provincial government and SERA, an alliance between the University of Pretoria and the CSIR, to create a science and technology park in SA.
Neville Comins, The Innovation Hub Management Company CEO, says the first challenge is to get the infrastructure development under way.
"This decision allows us to continue our negotiations with prospective tenants. While this process is on-going, our pilot activities enable us to learn while working, and ensure that The Hub moves onto its site as a going concern in 2004."
The Innovation Hub would help keep talent in SA by providing an environment in which skilled and talented people could build businesses that could compete globally, he says. This is an important element in developing Gauteng as a "smart" province and Tshwane as the intellectual capital of the country.
Calie Pistorius, principal of the University of Pretoria, has welcomed the decision. "The development will benefit the local community and civil society at large. It will enhance Tshwane's reputation by significantly adding to the research and development capabilities of the region and specifically the University of Pretoria and the CSIR."
The approved 60ha site has a developable land area of 31ha with an ultimate leaseable floor area of 121 000m2. The remaining 29ha, including a natural hillside, will be kept pristine. The site will be managed according to an environmental management plan.
"Given Gauteng's large concentration of research skills and infrastructure, and a massive cost advantage in developing new products and processes, The Innovation Hub is ideally positioned to attract foreign research and development companies, and develop a significant R&D outsourcing industry," says Blue IQ CEO Pradeep Maharaj.
Share