ABOUT ALDERLEY PARK

Set within 400 acres of parkland, Alderley Park is a world-class life sciences and tech campus.

There are currently over 250 businesses based at the Park, employing approximately 4,500 people.

It is also now the location of a sensitively designed residential community of around 180 homes, with more in the pipeline.

The community in and around Alderley Park has access to a wide range of amenities including a country pub and restaurant, gym and sports complex, outdoor sports pitches and scenic woodland trails suitable for walking, cycling and running.

Alderley Park also boasts a Conference Centre with a 232-seat auditorium and meeting rooms, holding numerous events throughout the year.

THE STORY SO FAR

Alderley Park has a rich heritage as one of the UK’s most significant commercial scientific research and development assets.

Previously home to AstraZeneca’s global lead centre for cancer research, at its peak up to 10,000 people were employed at Alderley Park.

In early 2013, AstraZeneca announced its decision to relocate its R&D facilities to Cambridge, placing uncertainty over the future of Alderley Park.

A task force consisting of senior politicians, business leaders and academia was formed to mitigate the regional economic impacts of relocation and to set the vision for how the Park could move from a single-occupier site to a cluster of high-quality life sciences and technology businesses.

To deliver this, it was accepted by Cheshire East Council that new high-value uses on the site, such as housing, would be needed to release funds to cross-subsidise important new life sciences investment.

SECURING LIFE SCIENCES AT ALDERLEY PARK

Since achieving planning approval in 2016, Alderley Park has been transformed. The land receipts secured from the introduction of new high value uses, such as housing, have supported Bruntwood SciTech’s ongoing £247m investment into the revitalisation of Alderley Park.

Opening up the site and changing it from a single, private centre to a multi-occupier life sciences and tech hub, the investment made from cross-subsidising has delivered state-of-the-art, high specification laboratory and collaborative workspace, supported by a range of scientific services, and an accelerator delivering a comprehensive programme of business support for start-ups and scale-ups.

Alderley Park has established a track record of nurturing and delivering a world class science environment, that has enabled innovative businesses to thrive, resulting in a significant contribution to job growth, science and wealth creation.

Recent achievements include:

Newly re-developed 150,000 sq ft ‘Glasshouse’ building, which opened in February 2020. This building offers high quality workspace to tech companies and forward-thinking innovative businesses. It is now home to over 80 companies
Mereside campus is home to a range of life science businesses, including national institutions such as Medicines Discovery Catapult and Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute

ALDERLEY PARK LIGHTHOUSE LAB

In March 2020 the UK Government launched a national testing effort to support the UK’s fight against COVID-19, through the establishment of a network of high-capacity testing laboratories. Alderley Park was chosen to host one of three national ‘Lighthouse Labs’ owing to its world-leading life science infrastructure and Bruntwood SciTech’s network of expertise.

For a project which would normally take between 4-6 months, within five weeks Alderley Park had the capacity to test up to 50,000 samples per day in the critical early months of the pandemic. The 30,000 sq ft ‘super-lab’, operated by the Medicines Discovery Catapult, played a key role with almost 600 staff members, processing over 20 million samples.

Current Planning Position

Cheshire East Council’s Local Plan allocates Alderley Park as an ‘Opportunity Site’ (Site LPS 61), to support development on the site to create a life sciences park and for residential development (of around 200-300 new homes) or other high value land uses demonstrated to be necessary for the delivery of the life sciences park and not prejudicial to its longer term growth.

The Local Plan confirms that a Development Framework would be produced with the objective to maximise the employment potential of the site to deliver a Life Sciences Vision, and also to look at wider uses for all aspects of the site, which would meet community and local needs.

The Alderley Park Development Framework (adopted by the Council in June 2015) supports the growth of life sciences and also notes that C2 Use Class is in principle acceptable at Alderley Park. This aligns with the nature of the developments being promoted by Symphony Park and Alderley Park.

Outline planning approval (No: 15/5401M) includes:

Laboratory, offices and light manufacturing floorspace (Use Class B1)
Retail, café, restaurant, public house and/or crèche floorspace (Use Classes A1, A3, A4 and D1)
Up to 275 residential dwellings, where up to 60 units could be for retirement / care (Use Classes C2 and C3)
Up to a 100 bed hotel (Use Class C1)
Sport and recreational facilities including an indoor sports centre (Use Class D2)
Multi-storey car parking providing up to 534 spaces (sui generis)
A waste transfer station
Public realm and landscaping
Other associated infrastructure

THE NEXT PHASE

Alderley Park has ambitious plans to enhance and expand the existing science and tech developments with two new buildings, centred around a new public square.

Click here to download the plan

To achieve this, Alderley Park is working with Symphony Park Limited, on proposals for a new high-quality integrated retirement living community development on the previously developed Heatherley Woods site, adjacent to the ongoing Bellway Homes works. As well as meeting a recognised need for retirement living accommodation in the Alderley Edge area, Symphony Park will further enhance the sustainability of Alderley Park through the diversification of residential development.

Should planning permission be granted for the integrated retirement living community, the land receipt from disposal of the site to Symphony Park will cross-subsidise the development costs of the proposed new science and tech developments.

EXPANDING WORLD-CLASS LIFE SCIENCES

Bruntwood SciTech is preparing an outline planning application to deliver two new buildings, each of around 100,000 sq ft of internal space, to support science and tech at the Park. These will be focused around a new open and publicly accessible new square.

New Build 1

New Build 1 comprises a new office building of up to six storeys, aimed at tech companies. The building will provide a mix of facilities including reception, flexible meeting rooms, serviced office suites, lounge areas, an outdoor terrace and café/restaurant.

New Build 2

New Build 2 will be up to five storeys in height and dedicated to providing the latest specification lettable commercial chemistry and biology research laboratories, supplementing those already available at Alderley Park. This building will be designed to accommodate a wide science offer, from coworking space to occupiers who wish to take an entire floor. The upper levels will house chemistry uses.

Together these new buildings could accommodate up to 1,600 new science and tech jobs.

A NEW PUBLIC SQUARE

The future success of Alderley Park – as a 21st Century employment location competing nationally and internationally to bring the best people and companies to Cheshire – is dependent on providing a high quality environment of modern buildings with the latest facilities, improved connections and an appropriate blend of uses and facilities.

Central to this transformation is the opportunity to create an exciting new place at the heart of the Mereside campus, with facilities available for all to enjoy.

A new public square will offer café and seating areas, making it a great destination space in which to relax, meet friends or colleagues and socialise. We are also exploring the opportunity to open-up a direct route from the parkland, through Mereside campus to Radnor Mere, to further improve walking routes through the park.

Image showing how the proposed new buildings and square could look.

We are working with specialist outdoor space designers, Planit-IE, who are developing their plans to make this area:

An inviting and vibrant setting for new and existing buildings
Welcoming to workers and residents alike
Accessible and inclusive
A dynamic event space
A playful outdoor space which encourages interaction for all ages.

New public square plan

Axonemetric view

SYMPHONY PARK

A retirement community which doesn’t conform to stereotypes, Symphony Park will deliver outstanding, hand-crafted quality apartments, designed around the needs of its residents who are over 65 and want to enjoy a happy and fulfilled life.

Services and amenities akin to a luxury 5* hotel which promote positive wellbeing and engage the resident community.

Set back into the landscape of Alderley Park and complementing its surroundings thanks to its stunning architecture and beautifully designed gardens.

Brought to you by the team from best-in-class residential developer and operator Vita Group which has pioneered award-winning managed residential products across the U.K.

Beautifully designed, architecture which complements its wider context within Alderley Park whilst creating a hugely aspirational outlook. Landscaped gardens and approach enhancing the kerb appeal of its setting, building upon this desirable location, and responding to feedback from previous consultations.

Delivering 159 design-led apartments hand-crafted and beautifully styled to promote independent living for over 65s and beyond.

Broad range of choice with one, two and three-bedroom luxury apartments being created. Restaurant, bar, and coffee lounge serving high-quality food for residents to ‘eat out’ or order in.

Resident’s Wellness Spa complete with pool, fully equipped gym, and exercise studios along with luxurious treatment rooms offering massages and beauty treatments, hair salon and nail bar.

Outstanding services akin to a 5 star hotel designed around the needs of its residents. A dynamic team of well-trained professionals there to support the needs of the residents including a Village Manager, Events Manager, Concierge and Valet parking.

On-site medical centre staffed by experienced health professionals including a private GP and Nursing team working with residents to understand care needs, providing additional support where appropriate.

Beautifully designed bookable spaces for entertaining, enjoying hobbies and meeting people.

Domestic Assistance Team providing residents with cleaners and household maintenance team should they wish.

Chauffeur driven electric vehicles – helping the community enjoy the broader location, go to shows, see family, enjoy some retail therapy or take a trip to the airport. Access to registered domiciliary care as and when required to provide outstanding wrap-around care as and when needed.

PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENT AT HEATHERLEY WOODS

The proposed Symphony Park site was used for large sheds by AstraZeneca – it is previously developed brownfield land. In the Alderley Park Development Framework, land at Heatherley Woods is identified for high quality residential use.

The southern part of the Symphony Park site has an extant outline permission for 25 dwellings whilst the land adjoining to the south is currently under development by Bellway.

Image showing previous development

DESIRABLE KEY WORKER HOMES TO SUPPORT LIFE SCIENCES AND TECH

There has long been a requirement to deliver on-site accommodation for employees working on the campus.

This is important to the future of Alderley Park as companies based at the Park need to attract the brightest and best talent to grow and thrive. An important way to attract talent to the area is to create specialist accommodation on site.

Alderley Park has identified No. 26, a vacant, long-established purpose-built office building in the Mereside campus, to the southeast of Radnor Mere as an asset that could be converted to provide this ‘key worker’ accommodation.

Around 100 studio and one-bedroom apartments will be provided within No. 26 predominantly targeted at a young graduate population working in the life sciences business cluster.

At this stage it is envisaged that circa 60 of these homes will be at an intermediate rent (80% of market rent) with the remainder being market rent. It may be possible that the numbers of studios and apartments with a subsidised rent could increase.

PROTECTING AND ENHANCING THE ENVIRONMENT

Recent development at Alderley Park has been delivered to the latest sustainability standards. These new proposals will be no exception, and considerable thought is being given to building design, construction, insulation, layout and orientation to ensure that energy use is minimised, and that we promote the use, recovery and recycling of materials throughout. The buildings will encourage energy and water efficiency, and waste recycling. All occupiers will be able to utilise the on-site electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
New developments will use measures to encourage active and sustainable travel, including cycling. The Park already offers a shuttle bus, with direct routes to local rail stations, alongside operating a Lift Share programme. Further enhancements to public transport options will be explored alongside the developments.

Symphony Park and Heatherley Woods

Symphony Park is working with specialist landscape architects to ensure that the external setting matches the quality of the proposed building. We are aiming to achieve an overall net gain in bio-diversity. A range of ecological enhancements are being considered, including new tree planting and the creation of additional woodland and green landscaped spaces, between the proposed Symphony Park development and the existing homes recently completed by Bellway. These will provide new habitats for nesting birds and insects.

SUMMARY

Alderley Park is planning to add to the existing asset base through the addition of new office and laboratory space, key worker accommodation and an opportunity to broaden and deepen the existing residential offer by the addition of a best-in-class retirement living community. These proposals will:

Strengthen Alderley Park’s contribution to supporting the UK’s ambition to be a leading centre for life sciences and tech in Europe

Provide up to 1,700 new on-site jobs, bring the total on-site jobs to over 6,000. Thereby further strengthening the wider Cheshire economy via supply chain and service related business opportunities

Support the existing amenities on Alderley Park and strengthen plans to expand the amenity offer

Meet the housing needs of those who work and will work at Alderley Park

Deliver a premium retirement community that will meet a local demand for senior living housing which is currently not being satisfied in the Alderley Edge area.

Taken together these proposals will make a positive addition to the economic future of Cheshire, create new employment opportunities within the life sciences and tech sectors and help deliver much needed new homes in the area.

CONTACT US

If you have any queries, please contact us on

0800 907 8677

or

[email protected]

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WELCOME TO THE

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

This is the second stage of public consultation on the proposed next steps of future development at Alderley Park.

Please complete a feedback form and let us know your thoughts and suggestions. Should you have any questions, please do ask a member of the development team.