Pharmaceutical packaging company Wasdell Group is to appeal the refusal of permission for its new science park in Swindon.
Swindon Borough Council’s planning committee turned down proposals for the 33,000 sq m development at a 35-hectare site at Inlands Farm, Wanborough in August 2020. Wasdell planned to relocate to part of it from the Euroway Industrial Estate.
The company says the council has not suggested any alternative sites and now chairman Martin Tedham has announced Wasdell will appeal the council’s decision.
In a statement, Mr Tedham said: “The increased Covid-related workload has meant we must focus on securing appropriate premises to accommodate the rapidly growing demand for our pharmaceutical products.
“We need to build our new facilities as soon as possible and press ahead with our vision of a science park for Swindon.
“The pandemic has shone a light on the vital role that pharmaceutical and life sciences play in all our lives.
“The Swindon Science Park will not only create a further 600 jobs from the day Phase 1 opens, but will also provide purpose-built, state-of-the-art facilities for partners and others to innovate and collaborate.
“In the last budget, the UK government pledged £22 billion for research and development by 2025. The combination of local expertise in life sciences and the emerging science park will mean that Swindon will be well-placed to benefit from some of that investment.”
Mr Tedham has driven the firm’s growth since he bought it in 2009. It turned over £52 million in 2019/20 and employs 750 people in Swindon alone.
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