A UNIVERSITY is hoping to add to its illustrious roster of two life science Nobel-winning scientists with the construction of a new £100 million plus high-tech facility.

The University of Sussex is seeking planning permission for a new state-of-the-art life sciences building that will create around 600 new jobs across Greater Brighton.

It is hoped the state-of-the-art building could pave the way for life-changing scientific discoveries and the creation of new inventive companies.

Planning applications have been submitted for the “pioneering development” which university bosses hope will transform scientists' research expanding the global reputation of its life sciences school which already boasts two Nobel Prize-winning scientists in Sir Harry Kroto and Sir John Cornforth.

The school has a strong reputation for teaching and research into conditions such as cancer and neurodegeneration as well as driving major advances in areas such as ecology and conservation, neuroscience, and drug discovery.

The new five floor building has been designed by Hawkins Brown Architects which were are also behind the Olympic Stratford railway stations, the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in Margate and three stations as part of the £15 billion Crossrail project.

University bosses said the new building would remain true to the vision of founding architect Sir Basil Spence with its distinctive use of glass, concrete and brick.

The new development is designed to bring staff and students of different subjects together to work in collaborative spaces sufficient for up to 80 research groups.

It is hoped that the new centre could be used by entrepreneurial start-ups, established bio and life-science businesses, emerging bio-science enterprises from NHS and research institutes and also help to spin-off university research into new companies.

The site will include a new bio-innovation centre - a hub for growing bio-medical businesses and encouraging partnerships with industry.

The project is hopeful of a favourable decision from Chancellor Philip Hammond in his Autumn Statement next month on their £9 million bid for Local Growth Funding.

The Bio-Innovation Centre alone is expected to bring in £114 million of private sector investment, creating more than 80 new jobs and 2,202 sqm of new and refurbished commercial business space.

Professor Laurence Pearl, head of the school of life sciences, said: “Our new state-of-the-art building will ensure that we can continue to produce innovative, world-leading research for decades.

“Our school of life sciences produces amazing scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, and continues to attract the very best researchers from all over the world to Brighton.”

The development of the life sciences building is part of the university’s campus masterplan, which was approved following a planning inquiry in 2015.

Public information days about the new building are being planned.