The Science and Technology Facilities Council [STFC] has had £236.5M earmarked for investment to develop large-scale research facilities and projects in its science portfolio. The investment was announced yesterday [Monday 14th July 2008] by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills [DIUS] and is being made available through the Government's Large Facilities Capital Fund.

The projects approved in STFC's area include:

• £50M for the Hartree Centre, an advanced computational science centre at STFC's Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus based at Daresbury, Cheshire in the North West. • £24M for a new Imaging Solutions Centre based at STFC's Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. • £30M for a new Detector Systems Centre based jointly at STFC's Daresbury and Harwell Science and Innovation Campuses. • £25M for ISIS Target Station 2, STFC's world-leading pulsed neutron and muon source facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. • £92.5M for the Diamond Light Source, in which STFC has an 86% shareholding, for the design and construction of an additional ten beam lines. • £15M for the Square Kilometre Array to develop the first prototype phase of this next generation global radio telescope.

Commenting on the announcement STFC's Chief Executive, Professor Keith Mason said,' Today's announcement of £236.5M is a major addition to STFC's three–year investment programme of £1.906bn and will further ensure the UK remains at the forefront of international scientific research.

I am particularly pleased that the government has earmarked £65M capital contribution for two cutting edge science centres at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus. This confirms the commitment of STFC and the government to develop Daresbury as a major centre of science and innovation in the North West.

Equally we have seen significant funds earmarked to develop facilities and projects at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. The Imaging Solutions Centre will combine the expertise and facilities of ISIS and Diamond to develop new imaging technologies for both academic and commercial users. Individually, both ISIS and Diamond have been approved to develop the next phase of their research facilities in terms of new instruments and additional beam lines.

Beyond our campus-based programme we have also been given approval for development of the Square Kilometre Array which is led by The University of Manchester from the Jodrell Bank Observatory, working with Oxford and Cambridge universities. SKA is a global project to design and build the next generation radio telescope and this timely investment in the SKA project will retain the UK's leading position in this international venture.

Overall this is excellent news for STFC, its staff and scientific communities, and the UK. Of the nine projects announced in the Large Facilities Capital Fund, six are STFC based, a clear indication of the importance of our research'.

In collaboration with key stakeholders STFC will now develop a detailed science and business case for each approved project for endorsement by Research Councils UK [RCUK] and submission to DIUS prior to funds being formally committed.