Science and Innovation Campus | Overview and Governance

Overview and Governance

In August 2011, the Prime Minister visited Sci-Tech Daresbury to confirm its position as one of the UK’s enterprise zones, this being formally ratified in April 2012.

The Sci-Tech Daresbury Enterprise Zone will:

create 10,000 high quality jobs across several hundred technology companies.
develop over 1 million square feet of specialised office, laboratory and technical space.
generate over £200m/year of GVA.
leverage over £150m of private sector investment.

It will mark Sci-Tech Daresbury as a major technology hub not only in the UK, but also internationally, driving long-term economic growth.

Enterprise Zone status will allow business rates to be reinvested in the campus to provide important new campus support infrastructure for future developments. It also provides short-term opportunities for companies to potentially benefit from business rates relief.

The Sci-Tech Daresbury Enterprise Zone is supported by three local enterprise partnerships (Cheshire and Warrington, Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region) with each having a position on the Enterprise Zone board.

The Enterprise Zone board comprises of representatives from each of the joint-venture partners (STFC, Halton Borough Council and Langtree) as well as the three local enterprise partnerships. It is chaired by Professor Sir Howard Newby, Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool.

About

Sci-Tech Daresbury is one of two National Science and Innovation Campuses established in 2006, (originally named as Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus).

In December 2010 a new joint-venture company was created to spearhead the longer-term development of the site. Partners in the JV company are the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Halton Borough Council and Langtree, a property developer and investor. It changed its name to Sci-Tech Daresbury in July 2012.

Enterprise Zone

Enterprise Zones are specific areas where a combination of financial incentives and reduced planning restrictions will apply. The zones are designed to encourage the creation of new businesses and jobs, thereby helping to support both local and national growth.

It is believed that Enterprise Zones will give a real shot in the arm to the private sector in particular locations and that the benefits will also spread more widely to support key city-regions and other areas.

Properties & Facilities

Sci-Tech Daresbury is home to a wide variety of science and technology businesses, ranging from small start-ups to strategic units of large multi-national corporations.

To date, there are 100 companies on the campus, working in a number of different market sectors, including digital/ICT, Biomedical, instrumentation/electronics, packaging, chemicals, analytical technology and the nuclear industry.

Capabilities

There are a wide range of scientific capabilities and technical expertise support services available at Sci-Tech Daresbury to suit businesses of all sizes across all high-tech sectors.

These organisations include:

Science and Technology Facilities Council

Cockcroft Institute

Virtual Engineering Centre

SuperSTEM

Partners

Sci-Tech Daresbury is proud to be engaged in a number of strategic collaborations with organisations that provide technology transfer, innovation and support for science and innovation based commercial activity. These are in addition to its stakeholders and Business Support providers.

Working in partnership with these organisations creates opportunities both in the UK and internationally for hi-tech businesses and other collaborative partners.