Charnwood Campus
Regional Focus
Opportunity knocks at
Charnwood Campus
Covering 70 acres on the edge of Loughborough in Leicestershire , the Charnwood Campus site comprises office and laboratory space , analytical testing , formulation development , scalable manufacturing and warehousing facilities . Formerly owned by Astra Zeneca , Charnwood is undergoing a phased re-structuring to accommodate both existing and ambitious fast-growth companies , and to freeup development land . The site has already attracted two major anchor tenants and will use its location and world-class facilities to bid to become one of the first Life Science Opportunity Zones
Securing a future for land and facilities vacated by global pharmaceutical companies is something of a UK economic development success story . Several UKSPA member sites have taken advantage of the seismic reshaping of the industry to create the right environment for a new generation of start-up and expanding companies .
Charnwood Campus , sited within striking distance of the M1 , two major airports and national rail hubs , is set to become one of the UK ’ s most prominent science and technology parks . Previous site investment in high-end research laboratory and office accommodation , as well as in manufacturing and communal facilities , has allowed scope for a mixed-use treatment of the campus . By attracting innovative biotech , digital , healthcare , drug development and related entrepreneurs into a cluster , the site team will be encouraging them to meet , share ideas and cross-trade .
In order to maximise the immediate potential for the site , Charnwood has initially set out to attract long-established international companies looking to expand both in terms of space and potential collaborations . Such anchor tenants with a global reach will not only provide stability but also help trigger the next phase of site development catering for pre-start and ambitious start-up firms . The Campus is building links with the region ’ s Universities , business support services and experts in the life science sector in order to provide the right environment for these early-stage firms .
Charnwood Campus
Since the site re-opened in 2012 , several key buildings have been recommissioned and made fully-operational ready to receive new tenants such as Almac ( see article opposite ), the global contract development and manufacturing organisation headquartered in Craigavon . This steady , phased reordering has allowed the site management to work closely with the local authorities on the reconfiguration of parts of the site , especially to free up potential development land . In some cases , this has
Charnwood Campus is set to become one of the UK ’ s most prominent science and technology parks
46 SUMMER 2016