The new substance won its discoverers the Nobel Prize and is held out as one of the great finds of the 21st century.

There will be cleanrooms, laboratories and offices in the new facility which will be a research and incubator centre dedicated to the development of graphene.

Up to 200 times stronger than steel and just one atom thick, graphene is the strongest and thinnest material ever measured, and also the world’s most conductive material.

It has a wide range of potential uses, including electronics, flexible touch screens, sensors and in composite materials.

The Government is backing the building project, which it hopes will allow Britain to reap the commercial benefits of the discovery.

The new facility proposed for Booth Street East is designed by London-based architects Jestico + Whiles. The project team includes EC Harris on procurement advice, CH2M Hill with technical design services for the labs and Ramboll on civil and structural services.