Stoford appointed to deliver £120m Worcester technology park
DEVELOPER Stoford has been appointed to deliver a new £120m technology park in Worcester that has the potential to create thousands of new jobs.
Stoford has been appointed as the development partner for the 70-acre site near junction 6 of the M5 by landowner The Spetchley Estate.
Stoford, which has delivered more than 10 million sq ft of pre-let development and in 2012 to 2014 had more than 1.5 million sq ft of pre-let space under construction throughout the UK, has appointed lead planning consultants Barton Willmore to submit a reserved matters planning application by early November.
The entire scheme could provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in business units.
The move means that work on local off-site highway improvements could be scheduled to begin before the end of this year with further on-site infrastructure being procured and constructed by the middle of next year.
The development site has been identified by Worcestershire County Council, and Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (WLEP), as one of four key ‘game changer’ sites which are key employment sites seen as important in driving the county’s economic future prosperity.
A public consultation on the detailed proposals is to take place at Tibberton Village Hall from 2 to 6pm on Saturday, October 11.
Stoford director Gerard Ludlow said the new proposals would be even more ecologically sensitive than the previous plan, retaining ancient woodland and putting an area of wetland right at the heart of the development. The company will be working alongside the Environment Agency, the Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Ramblers Association and local councils.
“We are delighted to have been appointed the estate’s development partner and we are confident that this strategically important project will provide the region with an enormous economic boost by attracting high quality occupiers,” he said.
Peter Pawsey, executive chair of WLEP, said: “The Worcestershire Strategic Economic Plan puts this key employment site at the top of its priorities for economic growth and job creation. It is the best undeveloped site between Birmingham and Bristol with first class access and connectivity to the rest of UK. The development will bring Worcester and the county ‘out from behind the curtains’ and be fundamental in our drive to create a World Class Worcestershire for inward investment and growth.”
Cllr Simon Geraghty, Deputy Leader of Worcestershire County Council and cabinet member for Economy, Skills and Infrastructure, said: “The county council’s top priority is to ensure Worcestershire is ‘Open for Business’. The delivery of these ‘game changer’ sites, along with other infrastructure schemes, is a key part of the drive to ensure that business in the county thrives. Creating the supply of employment land is vital to support business conditions to allow companies to grow and compete on the world’s stage.”
