Henry Boot’s property investment and development division, HBD, has been awarded a GBP 162 million (US$218 Million) contract by Imperial War Museums (IWM) and Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, to deliver the Duxford AvTech aviation innovation campus.

The project will redevelop a 25-acre site at IWM Duxford, situated within the strategically important Oxford-Cambridge Arc, into a leading hub for low and zero-carbon aircraft technologies. The Duxford AvTech campus will offer 435,000 square feet of advanced facilities designed to promote collaboration between academia, industry, and government. The development aims to drive innovation in sustainable aviation while achieving high environmental standards, with HBD pursuing BREEAM Excellent certification and an EPC A+ rating.

The Duxford AvTech project enters a highly competitive aviation sector facing market pressures, complex regulations, and talent shortages. As innovation becomes crucial, rival developers are expected to pursue similar contracts, while potential government influence in defence firms could further impact the sector’s dynamics. This project marks a further expansion of HBD’s innovation portfolio, following the recent approval of the £1 billion (US$1.3 billion) Golden Valley development in Cheltenham. That scheme includes the 160,000 square foot National Cyber Innovation Centre (IDEA) alongside 576 residential units, reflecting HBD’s commitment to large-scale, mixed-use developments that integrate innovation and community growth.