Bruntwood SciTech puts down roots at Melbourn Science Park

Bruntwood SciTech confirmed its place in the UK’s ‘golden triangle’ of elite university cities (London, Oxford, Cambridge) with a tree planting ceremony at Melbourn Science Park this week (April 5).

The specialist property developer, which operates a portfolio of sites in the north and the Midlands, took a long lease on the Melbourn premises from TTP for £46.2m in March last year.

Bruntwood SciTech is a 50/50 partnership between Bruntwood (founded in 1976) and Legal & General. Bruntwood SciTech is the company’s scientific arm, as opposed to its commercial property activities.

The Melbourn Science Park deal involves working with innovation specialist TTP and the local planning authority on a masterplan for the 16.4-acre site.

Jamie Clyde, Bruntwood SciTech director, southern region, said the tree planting ceremony was a positive experience.

“The investment in Melbourn is our real entry into the golden triangle,” he said. “We acquired the site in March 2021, and took operational control this week.

“It was great to get the tree planted. It’s a platanus orientalis: its significance is that it’s the hypothecary tree under which Hippocrates, the founder of medicine, taught under on the island of Kos in Greece.”

Platanus orientalis, better known as the sycamore or Oriental plane, is a large, deciduous tree of the Platanaceae family which can grow to 100ft and is known for its longevity and spreading crown.

“Also the significance of the tree is that it takes between 20 to 50 years to mature, which symbolises our long-term perspective with TTP, the whole village community and the wider Cambridge cluster.

“Hopefully scientists and researchers working at Melbourn Science Park will be able to rest and get inspiration underneath it,” added Mr Clyde.

The “fairly small” event, with about 15 people from Bruntwood SciTech and TTP, took account of the unique collaboration between the previous and current owners of the site. The new venture with TTP seeks to bring a new life sciences incubator to the science park, where firms such as AstraZeneca, SPT Labtech, Cellular Highways, LEX Diagnostics and TTP already occupy space. TTP will also work on an innovation services programme with Bruntwood to provide access to venture capital, new markets, products and prototyping opportunities to more than 500 other businesses occupying Bruntwood SciTech sites.

“TTP is developing a new site next door and moving into that next year, it’s being constructed as we speak,” Mr Clyde said. “It’s a major project.

“When TTP moves out we will start to upgrade the facilities on the park and at that point we’ll be looking for science and technology businesses to join, particularly early-stage companies looking to grow.

“TTP is moving out but we’ve very much entered into a partnership with them: we have ownership of the site but they are playing a very active role in the park going forward.”

Bruntwood SciTech is the leading property provider for the UK’s science and technology sectors.

“On Melbourn Science Park we’re building up a team to manage the site, a small team initially,” Mr Clyde said. “We have plans to develop the park and we’re just starting that process – it’s in the planning process.

“The key thing we want is to retain and enhance the natural environment which is what differentiates the site from many other science parks, so yes we’re updating the infrastructure with world-class facilities, but at same time we’re enhancing the natural environment and achieving sustainability, to get the site to net zero, which is challenging.

“As a landlord we have a target of achieving net zero across our portfolio by 2030. Bruntwood is first property developer to announce this as a formal target.”

Bruntwood SciTech operates a portfolio of eight sites including in Manchester and Birmingham, and aims to acquire an additional six million sq ft of sites by the end of the decade.

Sam Hyde, CEO at TTP plc, told the Cambridge Independent: “We’re delighted that Bruntwood SciTech share our commitment to Melbourn Science Park and the local area. It will bring in new investment and help take the site forward as an important, dedicated hub for life sciences.

“Melbourn Science Park has been central to TTP’s success over the past 30 years and we will be retaining our presence on the land adjacent to science park where we are constructing our new campus.”