Doncaster maps out tech future for gateway offices
Awarded planning consent in January, a 52,000 sq ft building close to the railway station will become a flagship digital hub as the council looks to establish a foothold in the AI world.
The development, a Bond Bryan design which Willmott Dixon is lined up to deliver, will sit at the heart of Doncaster’s City Gateway area.
It will be funded through the Doncaster Town Deal fund and overseen by the Town Deal Board, a sub-group of the new city centre board.
Work is expected to start on site in early 2025, with completion expected mid-2026. The site currently houses a mix of buildings.
City of Doncaster Council said that the establishment of a new specialist digital tech hub will drive sector growth by acting as a magnet for leading digital and tech companies looking for opportunities to scale and grow their business to locate in Doncaster.
Mayor Ros Jones said: “Our city is rapidly becoming recognised for its industry expertise around Artificial Intelligence, and I am keen to build this momentum and drive forward our ambition to regenerate our city centre and develop our economy for the 21st century.
“This is an exciting time for Doncaster city centre, with work taking place across several key areas and I look forward to seeing businesses across the city and region take advantage of this state-of-the-art facility.”
Tariq Shah, chair of the new city centre board for Doncaster, said: “This is a new era for the city of Doncaster. With the city beginning to be at the forefront of the digital and technology sector, more businesses across the region are beginning to see the benefits of basing themselves in the city.
“With the announcement of a new Digital Technology Hub for Doncaster, we will have the capabilities to do just that, hosting industry leading businesses who will bring expert knowledge, innovation and enhance the city’s reputation further.”
Paul Senior, chair of the Town Deal Board, said: “I am excited to hear that before the hub has even come to life it is attracting excitement from across the region. Embracing the future of technology – with AI at the heart of it – is the direction of travel for all of us across the nation and none more so than in the digital and tech sector.
“It is important that as a city we remain forward thinking and I am excited to see what the future holds in this sector for the City of Doncaster.”
Mark Taylor, chief executive of Automated Analytics – a Doncaster-based AI businesss, said: “Doncaster is a city on the cusp of becoming the UK’s leading destination for innovative digital and technology businesses to locate and grow. The new digital tech hub will enable businesses to bring their trailblazing work in the development and adoption of Artificial Intelligence to a global customer base and put Doncaster firmly on the map. I look forward to being a part of this new era for the city of Doncaster.”
