The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the Northwest European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) are to provde funding of £3.1m to kick-start the creation of a new Science Discovery Centre at Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory.

The announcement coincides with confirmation that the project has been granted planning permission by Cheshire East Council, indicating that work could start on site as soon as next month. An investment of £2.1m will be made by the NWDA and £1m by ERDF in the Northwest. An additional £600,000 is coming from the University of Manchester, the telescope being part of the latter's School of Physics and Astronomy.

The project includes a Planet Pavilion entrance building with an orientation centre and glass-walled café offering views of the Lovell telescope, a Space Pavilion for exhibitions and events, an education space and landscaping of the Arboretum to create a new Galaxy Maze and a Space Garden. The Planet Pavilion is set to open by the end of this year and the remainder of the work is scheduled to be completed by summer 2011, with the Observatory saying that current visitor facilities will be kept open as much as possible as the development proceeds.

Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the NWDA, said: “Jodrell Bank is already an icon in the Northwest and a visitor attraction in its own right, but it has the potential to attract many more national and international visitors to the region. This investment will help create a richer, more inspiring visitor experience which is more fitting to this beacon of science and research.” Dr Teresa Anderson, director of the Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre Project, said: “This is a really important milestone for us and we're absolutely delighted that we will be able to take our project forward this year in partnership with the NWDA.

“Alongside redeveloping our facilities we will be taking the opportunity to revitalise our visitor programme, and look forward to welcoming lots of new people to Jodrell Bank in the future.” Image courtesy of Mike Powell