Science Park Plans to Create 2,000 Jobs

Proposals have taken a major step forward with the announcement that the land for the project - on the outskirts of Exeter - has been bought.

The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) has agreed to invest up to 19m pounds to enable Devon County Council to buy the 23-hectare (56-acre) site east of the M5, near junction 29 at Redhayes, and provide the infrastructure to open the science park by 2010.

Work to bring the project to this stage has been done through a partnership of the RDA, the University of Exeter, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, East Devon District Council and the Met Office.

Eagle One

The purchase of this land is of enormous strategic importance to the region

Ian Thompson

Director

RDA South West

As well as providing a site for the science park, the purchase from current landowners Eagle One, also includes land needed for major junction 29 improvements that will unlock the full potential of the East of Exeter Growth Area - the main business and housing growth area for Exeter over the next 20 years.

Ian Thompson, the South West RDA’s area director, said: “The purchase of this land is of enormous strategic importance to the region.”

He continued saying that this has been a top priority for the RDA and, by opening up the opportunity for the science park and future growth for Exeter, it illustrates how we can work with partners to invest to unlock the business potential of the region.

“The science park is part of a regional network, including Bristol and Plymouth, which the RDA is supporting and will help drive enterprise in Exeter as well as creating 2,000-plus jobs.”

“The wider benefits are substantial, with the potential for more than 6,000 highly skilled jobs, new homes and 600m pounds of investment in the East of Exeter Growth Area,” Thompson added.

More jobs in south west

David Allen is the Registrar and Secretary of Exeter University and Chairman of the Science Park Board; he said: “This is a great example of partnership and of a number of organisations working together towards a common goal. I am especially grateful to the RDA for this massive investment in the future prosperity of the Exeter sub-region.

“The science park will attract knowledge-intensive firms to Exeter and will also enable the development of new businesses.”

It will link strongly with the University of Exeter Innovation Centre which provides start-up units for new knowledge-intensive businesses,” he added.

“As these business grow they will be able to relocate to bigger premises on the science park. The university is committed to knowledge exploitation and the science park will help us to turn ideas generated at the university into marketable products and services.”

The science park will attract knowledge-intensive firms to Exeter and will also enable the development of new businesses

David Allen

Registrar and Secretary

Exeter University

The science centre will play a key role in helping to diversify and reinforce the economy of Exeter through the development of knowledge-based businesses and capitalising on links with the technology base provided by Exeter University and the Met Office.

It will offer extensive new facilities encouraging enterprise, science-related and research and development-related activity and offering high quality space for It is envisaged the science park will also feature a new business hotel, conferencing facilities and a central building providing business support and local services as well as offices for the park’s management company.

Subject to planning, construction of phase one of the science park plus site infrastructure will start in 2009, funded by the RDA and delivered by a development partnership businesses ranging from start-ups to major corporate headquarters.

Councillor Humphrey Temperley, Devon County Council’s Executive Member for Economy & Strategic Planning, said: “This is a key milestone for the project. The science park is one of the five key developments east of Exeter, along with the new community of Cranbrook, the Skypark site for business, the inter-modal freight terminal and expansion of Exeter airport. And there is a double benefit from this deal, as it opens up the way for delivering the strategic transport infrastructure necessary at junction 29.”

Councillor Sara Randall Johnson, leader of East Devon District Council, added: “We welcome this news as hard evidence that we and our partners are making significant progress in our exciting plans for this location which will boost the regional economy and provide thousands of new jobs to retain home-grown skills in Devon.”

The South West RDA leads the development of a sustainable economy, investing to unlock the region’s business potential. It works in partnership with public, private and social purpose organisations to increase the region’s productivity.