Planners have approved a scheme to build an £18m technology park adjacent to the M5 in Worcester as part of the county’s “Game Changer” development blueprint.
Despite suffering a major blow last September when Worcester Bosch pulled out as the main tenant, the county council decided to press ahead with the landmark 70-hectare scheme next to Junction 6 of the motorway. The development go-ahead comes just days after it was revealed an unnamed international company is considering opening its UK base on the high-tech park.
Worcester Technology Park will target technology-rich manufacturing businesses and the completed development has the potential to create as many as 5,500 jobs. “We have lots of flexibility with this site, said county council leader, Adrian Hardman. “We can still accommodate big companies, but we are no longer relying on one big player. We are now hoping for a wide range of high-tech companies to be a part of this exciting project.”
The central part of the site has been designated as an “enterprise zone” offering accommodation for start-up, blue-chip companies. Established businesses will be able to take up mixed units of between 10,000 and 25,000sq ft around the southern edges of the site. And larger occupiers are being given the option to buy land on the northern part of the site for build-to-suit premises. Trees will be planted across the entire site to give the project a sustainable feel.
The high-tech development is part of the county’s wider “Game Changer’” programme which aims to boost economic growth by prioritising investment in four key areas of Worcestershire.
“We are determined to move this development forward in order to ensure companies wishing to expand within Worcestershire, and those from outside the county who rightly recognise Worcestershire as a great place to do business, have an ideal site to meet their needs,” explained the authority’s deputy leader Simon Geraghty.
“This level of investment demonstrates that we are serious about ensuring Worcestershire’s economy grows and creates much needed new private sector jobs. Delivering this technology park, along with other infrastructure schemes, is vital to ensuring that business in the county flourishes.”
Last month Worcester City Council voted to invest up to £500,000 in the technology park from its New Homes Bonus fund, infrastructure cash it receives from central Government. The £17m backbone funding for the project was awarded by the Department for Business, Innovations & Skills’ Regional Growth Fund as long ago as July, 2011. It is hoped the first tenants could be moving on to the park by spring next year.
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