Bosses at Alderley Park are celebrating winning £1.1million to develop the site for life sciences.
The government has announced the money for the Nether Alderley site in its latest round of payouts as part of the Regional Growth Fund, which supports projects which aim to help economic growth and employment.
The cash will help the site’s new owner Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) develop the site as a life science park named BioHub, attracting companies which specialise in areas such as drugs and medical devices. The hub is considered a major employer in the area and could provide 7,000 jobs.
It’s being developed because pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca - which has a base at the site - is moving its Research and Development operations out to Cambridge by 2016.
The funding will help MSP reconfigure space at Alderley Park to accommodate the new life science businesses it’s aiming to attract. It’s hoped this will help retain highly skilled talent and create new jobs.
Dr Chris Doherty, site director at Alderley Park for MSP, said: “Securing Regional Growth Funding support is a fantastic shot in the arm for the BioHub and another significant vote of confidence from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills who share our vision for the park.
“The funding is significant for Alderley Park as it supports the strategy to transform the site from a singly occupied R&D centre to a thriving multi-occupied bioscience cluster and MSP will be committing £3m to match the RGF funding.”
A document named the Draft Development Framework - which acts as a guide to what can be built at Alderley Park - is currently out to a six-week consultation.
Anyone interested can view the document at cheshireeast.gov.uk. Copies are also available in libraries and council offices in Macclesfield, Crewe and Sandbach
Comments and representations can be made until Friday, March 13, online or by letter to Jo Wise, CEC Spatial Planning Team, c/o Municipal Buildings, Earle Street, Crewe CW1 2BJ.
