MIPIM 2015: MSP reveals Alderley Park designs

Manchester Science Partnerships has revealed plans for the first phase of development at its 400-acre life science campus at Alderley Park in Cheshire.

The BDP-designed proposals centre on the redevelopment of existing buildings vacated by AstraZeneca, the former site owner. The first phase, to be called Mereside, will transform labs into 300,000 sq ft of business space.

The details and designs were unveiled at a Manchester stand event titled 'Translating Science into Place', touching on Manchester's European City of Science 2016 status and the role of the universities and the growing science and technology sectors in speeches by Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, Chris Oglesby, MSP chairman and chief executive of Bruntwood, and Rowena Burns, chief executive of Manchester Science Partnerships.

Bruntwood and MSP have committed to a £30m capital investment over the next three years at Alderley Park to deliver 1.5m sq ft lab and workspace.

The overall development framework for Alderley Park is currently subject to a public consultation by Cheshire East Council.

Bruntwood, majority owner of MSP and its lead property partner, plans to add value to the estate by breathing new life into older buildings to diversify accommodation options for businesses at every stage of their life cycle, from SMEs to global corporate HQs.

One of the first major redevelopments for MSP and Bruntwood, is the redesign of a four-storey building on the Eastern edge of Mereside, transforming a previously unloved AZ lab facility into a 300,000 sq ft centre for innovative and ambitious businesses. The centre will include a variety of workspaces from high-end specialist labs to flexible offices and manufacturing facilities. Designs will centre around a new communal atrium and internal courtyard featuring new meeting and conference facilities with views over the Alderley Park woodland. In addition, substantial new entrances will open up the building with a strong visual impact and the plans will also feature opportunities for retail and café facilities.

Rowena 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."