Packaging firm appeals science park rejection
APHARMACEUTICAL packaging company in Swindon will appeal the council’s decision to reject plans for a multimillionpound science park.
Wasdell Group submitted revised proposals for a huge research and development facility in May last year, but in August Swindon Borough Council voted 10 to five against the plans.
The manufacturer, which employs 750 people in Swindon, is hoping to build a £56m science park on a 100acre site at Inlands Farm near Wanborough, 300 metres south of the New Eastern Villages and just north of junction 15 of the M4.
The £52m-turnover business claims the proposals will create hundreds of jobs within the Swindon economy while meeting its own growth plans.
But villagers reportedly oppose the site on the grounds that it sits within an area of outstanding natural beauty, claiming there could be an increase of traffic as a result of the company’s operations. The South Swindon Protection Group is a pressure group also resisting the plans.
Wasdell chairman Martin Tedham announced the news of the appeal yesterday.
He said: “The increased Covidrelated workload has meant we must focus on securing appropriate premises to accommodate the rapidly growing demand for our pharmaceutical products.
“We need to build our new facilities as soon as possible and press ahead with our vision of a science park for Swindon. The pandemic has shone a light on the vital role that pharmaceutical and life sciences play in all our lives.
“The Swindon Science Park will not only create a further 600 jobs from the day Phase 1 opens, but will also provide purpose-built, state-ofthe-art facilities for partners and others to innovate and collaborate.
“In the last budget the UK government pledged £22bn for research and development by 2025. The combination of local expertise in life sciences and the emerging science park will mean that Swindon will be wellplaced to benefit from some of that investment.”
Wasdell claims Swindon Borough Council has not identified alternative sites in the area for the park but the local authority says this is untrue.
“We are disappointed Wasdell has decided to appeal the decision to refuse the planning application,” a spokesperson told the Swindon Advertiser .
“We will robustly defend the decision taken by the council’s planning committee as there are sound planning reasons why this development is not suitable in its current location.
“Wasdell’s PR firm claims in its media release that the council has been unable to identify suitable alternative sites. This is simply not the case. We have suggested a number of sites within the borough which the company could relocate to and have made introductions to landowners with sufficient employment land suitable for the company’s needs. We value Wasdell as a successful business and firmly believe there are credible alternatives for the firm’s needs within Swindon.”
Wasdell said that since the outbreak of the pandemic, it had been working with providers of medicalgrade antiseptic products to deliver to patients and the general public, and was also managing the delivery of medicinal products for patients taking part in clinical trials.
The group said it had increased its workforce in Swindon by more than 100 employees to meet these extra demands.
We need to build our new facilities as soon as possible and press ahead with our vision MARTIN TEDHAM