Computational science centre to get £50m funding

Government sees projects as key to promoting knowledge economy

Pearson: Investment will retain talent

A new computational sciences centre at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus will receive £50m of government funding as part of a programme to develop large-scale research facilities throughout the UK.

As part of the same scheme, the government will contribute £65m towards the development of a next generation supercomputer.

"Investment in the development of cutting edge research facilities will help retain existing talent and attract some of the world's best scientists to the UK," said Ian Pearson, science and innovation minister.

"The facilities given the go-ahead today will rival those of our main international competitors such as the US and Japan."

In its recent paper Innovation Nation, the government highlighted the importance of funding such projects to help the country move further towards a knowledge economy.