CHESHIRE EAST INVEST IN BI-SCIENCE PARK

Following the announcement that Alderley Park is to be sold by AstraZeneca to Manchester Science Parks (MSP), Cheshire East Council is proposing to buy a 10 per cent stake in the Alderley Park bio-science hub and place a three per cent investment in MSP.

It follows the announcement in March 2013, that AstraZeneca was to cease its R&D work at Alderley Park, retaining 700 jobs on the site but removing 2,300 R&D staff, with 1,100 of these going to a new global R&D centre and corporate headquarters in Cambridge.

Leader of Cheshire East Council Councillor Michael Jones said today: “This is a vindication of a year of co-ordinated, cross-boundary, Task Force-led, MP-supported innovative action with AstraZeneca to save Alderley Park and jobs.

“Last March, AstraZeneca announced it was moving its UK-based R&D and world HQ to a new site in Cambridge and removing some 2,300 jobs from its nearly 3,000-strong workforce from Alderley Park, with 700 staying at the site.

“Since then the Council and the
AstraZeneca bio-hub team, working with local partners have developed the hub to entice 20 companies into the site, bringing about 500 jobs on board