MSP to double in size says Burns

MANCHESTER Science Parks has reiterated its plans to double the size of its main campus over the next 10 years.

Improvements to existing buildings are expected to get underway in the next few months before work starts on a new block at its main site on Lloyd Street North behind the University of Manchester.

Former chief executive Jane Davies starting drawing up an £18m 10-year plan early last year which involved taking control of several plots of land around the site and redeveloping existing facilities which currently offer 180,000 sq ft of space.

In April 2012 Manchester property group Bruntwood took a 51% and chief operating officer Rowena Burns has replaced Mrs Davies who left in July.

She said: “Our shareholders are passionately committed to the growth of the business, and believe that the opportunity is there to double the size of the original MSP site in 10 years.

“This was the driver behind the decision to bring in Bruntwood as the perfect investment partner, to help us to achieve our vision and to maximise our contribution to the objectives of our partners on the Corridor and the sub-region.”

The changes on the park will begin with a “general refresh of existing buildings”. More extensive work will take place in the Greenheys building, where a meeting and events space will be created to form an interim central hub for the site, before the development of a new building takes place.

Ms Burns added: “MSP is an absolute hotbed of innovation activity, with companies developing around 200 products and services last year alone. We are passionate about emphasising the value and importance of cross sector collaboration and, as a result, two thirds of our companies have working relationships with each other.

“Those that filled in our last annual survey gave a combined annual turnover of £160m and the mean wage was £44,857, compared to the mean wage in Greater Manchester of £29,339. Over 80% of companies are more than five years old and have better than average survival rates – the message is clear; companies based at msp do better.

“We have ambitious growth plans. We will extend our office and laboratory space and develop a heart for the Park, where businesses, academics, freelancers, clinicians, inventors and more can come together, find common purpose, collaborate and do business.”

MSP has 170 tenants over four sites: the main ‘corridor’ site on Lloyd Street North; the 158,000 sq ft Salford Innovation Park, One Central Park in Newton Heath and the Technopark in Hulme.