MORE BUSINESSES and jobs are set to come to Malvern after a major £4million expansion of the town’s Science Park was granted planning permission.
Worcestershire County Council’s Planning Committee have given the green light for development of Phase 5 of the Science Park which will replace a soon-to-be demolished building with a new and modern two storey complex.
The development of Phase 5 is possible following a £4m investment from the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership through the Worcestershire Growth Deal which builds on the success of the Science Park, which is already home to a significant cluster of IT and cyber security companies as well as the National Cyber Skills Centre.
Building work is expected to start in the summer and will take around nine months to complete.
The recently completed 30,000 sq.ft. Phase 4, which was due to £3.5m of investment from Worcestershire County Council alongside £370,000 from Malvern Hills District Council, is now also the new home for current tenants UTC Aerospace Systems.
This new building in Phase 5 will now provide 16,000 sq.ft. of floor space which will be available to new companies or existing tenants seeking to grow their businesses.
Alan White, chief executive of the Malvern Hills Science Park, said: “I’m delighted to hear of today’s planning approval. Clearing the old factory premises to make way for Phase 5 will transform the approach to and the look of the park into something far more befitting of the world class technologies under development here as well as bringing new opportunities and new jobs to Malvern and beyond.”
Coun Rob Adams, chairman of the Planning and Regulatory Committee added: “The area in and around Malvern has a strong history of being a centre for invention, innovation and the development of new technology.
“This continues today with the growth of high tech and cyber security firms on the current Science Park and will be further strengthened with the development of this new facility.”
The green light for the expansion has been heralded as a great boost for the county’s economy.
Coun Ken Pollock, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for Economy, Skills and Infrastructure said: “It’s great to see one of our key game changers sites going from strength to strength, with the granting of planning permission for the next phase of the Malvern Hills Science Park.
“This project will not only provide a real strategic opportunity to drive forward technology, innovation and enterprise in the County but will replace an unattractive and under-used building with a new, vibrant and more flexible business space.”
