A planning application for a new £12 million science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) facility at the University of Derby (www.derby.ac.uk) has been approved by the city council.

Plans for the 45,200sq ft facility were submitted back in June; approval is conditional upon certain criteria being fulfilled, including that the development begins within the next three years.

The university says that the work will be completed in 2017.

University vice-chancellor Professor John Coyne said the STEM centre “will provide the much-needed space we require to develop further.” The lead contractor on the project is Wilmott Dixon.