Bruntwood SciTech’s £250 million plans to redevelop Melbourn Science Park in Cambridge have been approved.
Under the scheme, planned by Savills for the joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, up to 390,000 sq ft of specialist lab and office space will be delivered, enough to accommodate up to 75 businesses.
Proposals, led by architects Sheppard Robson, include the refurbishment of three existing buildings and construction of six more. They will offer co-working, leased and managed lab and office space to accommodate the region’s thriving life science, tech and innovation sector, from start-ups to international R&D centres.
A multi-storey car park with EV charging, a cycle store with repair and maintenance stations will be built and a new shuttle bus service is being considered between the park and Meldreth station. A publicly accessible campus is also part of the plans.
Retained buildings will be upgraded to maximise energy efficiency and as much of their existing fabric will be kept where possible.
The masterplan transforms the park into being 100 per cent electric, targets EPC A across all buildings.
Daron Williams, building consultancy director for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Approval of our transformational plans for Melbourn Science Park means we can progress forwards with providing much needed, world-class lab and office space for high-growth science and tech businesses who want to be at the heart of Cambridgeshire’s innovation ecosystem.
“It is also a sign of our continued commitment to supporting the growth of the life science sector right across the UK, helping businesses to innovate, collaborate, grow, and compete globally.
“The park has a long history as a centre for scientific innovation and we are proud to be able to continue and build on this legacy, and also connect start-ups, scaleups and global businesses who locate here to our UK-wide community of more than 1,100 companies.”
Andy Moffat, head of planning at Savills Cambridge, said: “We have a strong track record of working with and advising the science parks in and around Cambridge and are delighted to have secured this latest permission for Bruntwood SciTech.
“Cambridge is a world leader in the science and tech sector, with our own research identifying the need for further investment and sustainable development if the city is to meet growing demand for lab and office space.
“Bruntwood SciTech and their partners have some very exciting plans and we look forward to supporting them as they bring them to fruition in the years to come.”
As well as Savills the team on the project includes Sheppard Robson (architects), Planit-IE (landscape architects), AKT II (structural and civil engineers), Ramboll UK (MEP and sustainability consultants), Gleeds (quantity surveyors) and Vectos (transport consultants).
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