New Arrivals Centre Technology Units Four Hectare Expansion New Headquarters

Rationale:

To ensure that Kent Science Park (KSP) is able to fulfil its role as a cluster of knowledge based businesses in Thames Gateway and facilitate a step change in the regeneration of Swale, LaSalle Investment Management, the managers of the Park, are considering an expansion scheme for an additional 12,000m2 of commercial business floorspace.

At the heart of the proposals is the development of an international headquarters building for Ecologia, an existing tenant.

The application to Swale Borough Council, will be for a 4.0 hectare expansion of the Science Park to increase business floorspace and associated amenity space and landscaping – creating a further 400 jobs at Kent Science Park. 

Planning context:

Kent Science Park lies within the national priority growth zone of Thames Gateway. RPG9 comprises the regional spatial strategy for the South East up to 2016.

The South East Plan, submitted to the Government in March 2006 indicates that an estimated 58,020 new jobs need to be provided in the Kent Thames Gateway sub-region during the period 2006-2026.

The Kent and Medway Structure Plan 2006 contains county level policy and proposals for the period 2001- 2021. Policy EP5 of the Structure Plan recognises Kent Science Park as a technology and knowledge cluster. Part b of this policy provides a full strategic commitment to expansion of Kent Science Park for technology and knowledge activities.

The Swale Borough Local Plan First Review was adopted in February 2008 and provides the most detailed policies for the control of development and the consideration of proposals at KSP.

Strategic Policy TG1 recognises Kent Science Park as a focus for technology based business and in particular life sciences. In discussing new employment sites Policy B26 of the Local Plan distinguishes Kent Science Park as a site of regional significance and states that the Council strongly supports the consolidation and measured expansion of Kent Science Park as an innovation hub and science based cluster.

Policy B26 has two distinct parts with criteria for the longer term and, separately, the shorter term expansion of Kent Science Park. 

The specific criteria that should be met, include appropriateness of the location; scale and design of buildings; compatibility with a “Science Park” definition and transport assessment. Other relevant policies are Policy E1 focusing on general development criteria and Policy E21, which sets an environmental performance target for non-residential buildings.

Purpose:

Existing uses at Kent Science Park comprises a mix of B1 high technology research and development uses, light industrial and office uses.

Lasalle Investment Management, managers of the KSP site, operate a ‘gateway’ policy with all potential tenants vetted for their suitability to join the science park cluster.

Use Class B2 (general industrial) and Class B8 (storage and distribution) uses are not considered appropriate.

Existing buildings at KSP presently average 1.5 storeys; the expansion area will have enhanced land use efficiency, averaging nearer two storeys.

In tandem with land use efficiency, it is imperative that buildings have a scale suitable to their location and setting and the height of the buildings will not normally exceed 10 metres.

Site and location:

Kent Science Park is recognised as a business cluster on 22 hectares of land in the Thames Gateway sub-region and currently accessed from junction 5 of the M2 motorway and via the A2, through Sittingbourne town centre. Surrounding land to the north of KSP is bounded by Broadoak Road, which is constrained on both sides by a belt of mature trees and low level shrubs. Beyond this, to the north and east is Cromer’s Wood and undulating terrain.

To the south the open countryside is generally flat, providing opportunity for development of a high quality, innovative and sustainable environment with enhanced screen planting, appropriate to the scale and context of the existing KSP.

Expansion in a southerly direction towards the M2 motorway has been endorsed by the Local Plan Inspector.

Jobs:

The prospect of expansion would create accommodation for approximately 400 new jobs in knowledge-based sectors, making the Science Park an important focus for employment growth.

Investment:

The cost of expanding Kent Science Park by four hectares will require an investment in the region of £15-£20m.

Timetable:

Construction is expected to begin soon after the grant of planning permission with a view to the new headquarters being available to Ecologia approximately 18 months later. The remainder of the 4 hectares would be developed over the next four to five years as demand requires.

Design and sustainability:

Sustainability would be served by more efficient use of land, enhanced provision for buses, pedestrians and cyclists and control of on-site parking.

The present campus style experience of KSP will be reinforced as the site expands by the provision of high quality interconnected outdoor spaces and enhanced strategic landscaping which will serve to integrate the development with its rural surroundings.

Sustainability lies at the core of the planning and development of the proposed 4ha expansion area, which aims to meet a number of defined sustainability principles based on national, regional and local policy and guidance through appropriate design solutions. Specifically, it seeks to make efficient use of natural resources, energy and water by considering the recycling and selection of suitable building materials, passive solar design, harvesting and reuse of water and encouragement of alternative transport modes to/from work.

Sustainability measures to be considered include:

• An interconnected network of landscaped open spaces and green corridors between buildings and along the internal road network to ensure a sense of place is created and enhance the site’s biodiversity.
• Use of appropriate building form and orientation to maximise opportunities for solar gain, natural daylighting, and cross-ventilation that result in potential for reduced energy consumption.
• Rainwater harvesting from building roof areas.
• Green roofs.
• Use of water efficient devices.
• Incorporation of CHP with the potential for the use of bio-mass fuels.
• Photo-voltaic and solar hot water panels.
• Small-scale wind turbines.
• Achieve a BREEAM rating which would necessitate consideration of energy efficiency, water efficiency, sustainable urban drainage systems and on-site renewable energy.
• Use of low environmental impact materials in building construction.
• Provide new and exciting employment and training opportunities.
• Control car parking and promote alternative transport modes to serve the site.
• Landscaping that encourages workers to be active and access the countryside, while enhancing biodiversity.

KSP will coordinate the further installation of electricity, gas, water and sewage, and telecommunications to each development plot within the 4ha expansion area with the relevant utility companies and service providers.

The existing services infrastructure provision at KSP can be readily extended to serve the proposed area of expansion, while energy and water demands can be managed by focusing upon individual building designs, employing best-practice sustainable design techniques.

The distribution of these services around the 4ha expansion area should be allocated in a series of lineal ‘service zones’ within the footpath network or landscaped verges that lie adjacent to the internal roads.

For heating, there are two options for the primary infrastructure although further opportunities will be available on the micro-scale, depending upon particular building designs.

The existing site-wide centralised District Heating System could be utilised by installing new flow and return pipework from the Energy Centre to the new buildings. Installation of an additional Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engine to the existing system should be considered. Combined with absorption chillers, this has the potential to use the District Heating System for both heating and cooling.

The traditional option would be to simply install a new gas pipe connection to the existing supply to the Energy Centre.