Future innovations
Work is underway across Stevenage to meet the needs of businesses both now and in the future
Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst
Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst is a unique development providing small biotech and life sciences companies and start-ups with access to the expertise, networks and scientific facilities traditionally associated with multinational pharmaceutical companies.
Supported by Government, business, and the charitable sector, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst campus will offer a fertile environment for scientific innovation and commercial success. And by pioneering a culture of open-innovation it will deliver cutting edge healthcare solutions and place the UK bioscience sector, and Stevenage, at the forefront of worldwide biomedical discovery.
It will offer a range of equipment and commercial opportunities as well as scientific and commercial networking that would be impossible for a small or medium sized enterprise to develop alone. In the long term the campus plans to expand fivefold.
Stevenage Town Centre
Stevenage was Britain's first new town and built to an inspirational and robust design, including the first pedestrianised shopping centre in Britain.
In recent years it has attracted quality new investment in retail and leisure such as the West Gate Centre, the Forum and the Plaza as well as out of town retail centres, such as the Roaring Meg.
There is now an opportunity for major redevelopment to realise the wider potential of the town centre. Designs for the new town centre include:
- A range of new shops including a major department store
- Restaurants
- Improved access and upgraded public spaces
- New civic facilities
- New bus station and town centre car parking.
Gunnels Wood
Gunnels Wood is the largest employment area in Stevenage employing 18,800 people over 720,000m2 of business floor space. Improving access around Gunnels Wood as well as improvements to accommodation on the site are part of the Gunnels Wood Action Plan which will provide direction and clarity for maximising the potential of this significant employment centre up to 2021.
Knebworth Innovation Park
A future science park has been proposed at the southern entrance to Stevenage, just off junction 7 of the A1(M). This area would be used to create an additional 3,100 jobs with its prominent location close to the GSK campus and Gunnels Wood employment centre.
The aspiration for the site is to create a high quality business park for hi-tech and advanced engineering companies.