Sci-Tech Daresbury bags consent for £24m labs, offices

Work to deliver the second phase of the Halton science and innovation campus’ Violet development is anticipated to start next year off Keckwick Lane.

Sci-Tech Daresbury – a joint venture between Langtree, Science and Technology Facilities Council, and Halton Council – has been granted reserved matters approval for Violet Phase Two, a £24m speculative development totalling 83,000 sq ft.

Made up of two three-storey buildings, V4 and V5, the scheme follows on from the delivery of Violet Phase One, which completed in February last year. The first phase has provided three buildings totalling 43,000 sq ft and is currently 85% occupied.

Once complete, V4 will offer 23,000 sq ft of Grade A office space for companies working in the advanced engineering, healthcare, digital tech, and sustainability sectors.

Meanwhile, V5 will be a 60,000 sq ft laboratory facility featuring floor plates ranging from 5,000 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft.

Seven Architecture has designed both of the buildings to a BREEAM Excellent standard, along with a targeted 25% biodiversity net gain with the inclusion of green roofs and a comprehensive planting scheme.

Plans were submitted in March for Violet Phase Two.

Spawforths is advising on the proposals. Arup is the engineer.

It is expected that the development will create 300 jobs on the Sci-Tech Daresbury site, which was established in 2006 as a national science and innovation campus and sits off Junction 11 of the M56.

The campus is already home to more than 150 science and technology companies, including the likes of Croda, IBM, and Hitachi.

John Downes, chief executive of Langtree and chairman of Sci-Tech Daresbury, said: “Sci-Tech Daresbury is designed to be a home for life and we’re committed to creating the right environment needed for world-leading innovative firms to achieve their ambitions.

“Right now, that means building laboratory and office facilities with larger floorplates to accommodate both companies scaling up from within the campus and other science and technology companies who have chosen to join our vibrant community.”