The proposed transformation of the 400-acre Alderley Park site in Cheshire into a "world-class hub for the life sciences" following the mass relocation of AstraZeneca staff has moved a step closer despite concerns about it involving inappropriate development in the greenbelt.
Cheshire East Council's planning committee will consider a hybrid application by Alderley Park Ltd next Wednesday (24 February). The applicant, which wholly owns the Alderley Park site, is a collaboration between property developer Bruntwood, science park operator Manchester Science Partnerships and Cheshire East Council.
The proposal seeks full consent to demolish existing buildings and outline consent for: 409,029 sq ft of laboratories, offices and light manufacturing space, 16,146 sq ft of retail, café, restaurant, pub and/or crèche facilities; up to 275 homes including 60 for retirement/care use; a 100-bed hotel; 21,528 sq ft of indoor sports space; and 150,695 sq ft of multi-storey car parking providing up to 534 spaces.
Ahead of the meeting, a report prepared by council officers has advised the committee to resolve that it is minded to approve the application subject to referral to communities and local government secretary Greg Clark.
It said: "The economic case is compelling. The development will significantly enhance employment growth in a high-quality and sustainable environment.
"When the impacts are weighed up against the significant economic benefits and sustainability credentials of the proposal, and taking into consideration mitigation proposed, the balance weighs strongly in favour of granting planning permission and should therefore be granted without delay.
"As the development is considered to be inappropriate development in the greenbelt, the application should be referred to the secretary of state should the council be minded to approve it."
Council officers have identified a number of "very special circumstances to outweigh the harm to the greenbelt by reason of inappropriateness". These include the increased employment at Alderley Park estimated at between 6,500 and 7,000 full-time-equivalent jobs in the high-value life sciences sector when fully occupied, a quick reaction to the departure of AstraZeneca to ensure the retention of talent, skills and some equipment on the site, and the increase in the local population providing a boost to the area's economy.
In March 2013, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced a planned investment of around £330m in a purpose-built R&D centre and corporate HQ in Cambridge alongside proposals to end R&D at its Alderley Park complex, which had approximately 2,900 employees at the time. The company, which planned to remain a tenant at Alderley Park with approximately 700 staff in non-R&D roles, estimated that around 1,600 roles would relocate from the site over a three-year period.
The report added: "Following AstraZeneca’s announced departure from Alderley Park, a series of important interventions have taken place to ensure that the impact of disinvestment is managed and mitigated. The proposals demonstrate a continued commitment to the park's development as a world-class hub for the life sciences.
"The proposals will provide high-quality and flexible purpose-built facilities in the short-term for both new and existing companies at the BioHub, thus ensuring that that talent and skills associated with AstraZeneca can be redeployed onsite before becoming dissipated.
"A range of uses is proposed on the site, and whilst the residential use is proposed to 'pump prime' the life science development, the other uses are very much complementary to the site as a whole."
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