MSP reveals Alderley Park masterplan
MANCHESTER Science Partnerships has unveiled the blueprint for the first phase of its development of a flagship 400-acre life science campus in Cheshire.
The plans for Alderley Park centred on the Mereside science campus and were revealed at MIPIM, the annual international property conference held in Cannes.
Titled Translating Science into Place, the session highlighted Manchester’s role in driving innovation and growth for the UK and celebrated Manchester’s future host city status as European City of Science 2016.
The role of the universities and the growing science and technology sectors was covered in speeches by Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell, MSP chairman and chief executive of Bruntwood Chris Oglesby and Rowena Burns, chief executive of MSP.
The plans signal the first major step for MSP’s vision to transform Alderley Park, AstraZeneca’s former R&D headquarters, into a thriving open innovation community for life science businesses with more than 7,000 high value-jobs planned on site in the next decade.
Bruntwood and MSP have committed to £30m capital investment for the next three years at Alderley Park to deliver 1.5m sq ft lettable lab and workspace, to respond to the demand and needs of a multi-occupier site, which already features state-of-the-art laboratory and office workspace set in the heart of Cheshire parkland.
The initial Mereside designs were revealed while the site-wide redevelopment plans for Alderley Park are currently subject to a public consultation process, as part of the Cheshire East Council strategic development masterplan.
Burns said: “Our bold scheme for this once forgotten building demonstrates the sheer scale of the opportunity at Alderley Park. With 300,000 sq ft of additional space, we are taking the first major step toward expanding the business community here, and fulfilling our commitment to provide 7,000 high-value jobs within the next 10 years.”
Cllr Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council said: “We hope that, with the right strategic planning framework in place, we can create a unique, self-sustaining hub for the life science sector at Alderley Park.”
“That is why, alongside AstraZeneca and Manchester Science Partnerships, Cheshire East Council has committed to invest £5m in a new investment fund to support the development of established companies on the site.
“Alderley Park represents an exciting opportunity that is vitally important to our economy and to the strength and growth of the life sciences industry in the North West as a whole.”
