The main construction phase of the new National Institute for Sport and Health (NISH) project has begun in Wales.
The four-storey flagship development, located at the entrance to Swansea Bay Sports Park, is being delivered for Swansea University and is funded through the Swansea Bay City Deal, with support from Swansea Council and local health boards.
Willmott Dixon has been appointed as main contractor, working alongside project manager Pick Everard and architect Powell Dobson.
When complete, the institute will focus on driving growth in sport technology, medical technology and healthcare innovation, while supporting regional economic development and job creation across the Swansea Bay City Region.
The project is expected to generate more than 1,000 jobs in the Swansea area and will be worth more than £150m to the regional economy by 2033.
The building will feature a range of specialist accommodation, including workspaces, an ‘innovation centre’ for commercial partners, seminar and teaching spaces, media studios, sports technology laboratories, and demonstration classrooms.
Gareth Taylor, principal project manager at Pick Everard, said: “Being involved from the early stages has given us a real understanding of how the building needs to operate, both now and in the future.
“With the potential to make a genuine impact on health, sport and technology, delivering a project of this scale requires close collaboration across the full project team, and it’s positive to see construction now underway and the scheme moving into its next phase.”
The NISH will serve as the anchor building for a broader Science and Innovation Park. It will provide a real-world environment where new technologies can be developed, tested and scaled.
