A Guide to Alderley Park

Acquired in 2014, Alderley Park has rapidly evolved into a pioneering headquarters for scientific developments, technological advancements and research in the North West.

Home to  over 250 businesses, including innovators like SAP, Cisco, and Evotec, the campus offers a plethora of state-of-the-art facilities and workspaces, scientific services and amenity to support the growth of businesses of all sizes. This encompasses a cutting-edge range of centrally managed research facilities at Mereside, including the Cytiva Technology Lab, which provides direct access to state of the art equipment in a flexible and cost effective manner. Customers based at Alderley Park also have access to a host of campus-wide benefits designed to enhance employee well-being, featuring an on-site gym, fitness centre, padel courts, and extensive walking, cycling, and running trails across 400 acres of parkland.

Committed to sustainability and innovation, Bruntwood SciTech proudly offers flexible office and lab spaces across key locations throughout the North West, with other science parks and innovation hubs also located in major cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. 

Key Facilities at Alderley Park

Bruntwood SciTech proudly offers a diverse array of facilities tailored to innovation-led businesses, particularly those in industries relying on laboratories for biological and chemical research or seeking to gain value from ready-made ecosystems for  collaboration and knowledge sharing. These facilities range from PAYG scientific services and open access labs that enable startups to invest in their R&D without increased overheads, specialist lab spaces, wet and dry labs and more traditional spaces, such as offices, meeting rooms and inspiring break-out and event space. Accompanied by our bespoke business support and accelerator programmes, bioscience capabilities and access to finance, talent and mentorship, the campus helps to transform businesses into research and discovery powerhouses. 

Lab Spaces

Coworking spaces aren’t just for office workers - at Alderley Park, the shared lab spaces allow businesses to capitalise on readily available equipment infrastructure and relevant support on an as-and-when-needed basis. Accompanied by a highly proficient and accessible laboratory management team, your business can focus on the research at hand, rather than the stress of sourcing and purchasing relevant (and expensive) equipment. As a result, Bruntwood SciTech prides itself on supporting businesses from startups through to global corporations. 

Wet Labs

Alderley Park features chemistry and biology labs of various sizes—from single benches to 100,000 sq. ft.—allowing businesses to find their ideal, scalable fit. These include a vast range of amenities, including safety stations, access to piped gases, fixed benching, write-up space and much more, with design and construction carefully considered to enable you to focus on life sciences research.. These are available at a range of containment and biosafety levels, meaning our labs suit specific user requirements and operations. These wet lab spaces can be equipped to handle any liquids, biological matter or chemicals, making them the perfect space to conduct extensive research and experiments.  The Open Access Lab is home to partnerships with Shimazdu, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Cytiva, meaning customers have access to world-leading instrumentation and tools on a PAYG basis, so you can develop and optimise targeted drug therapies and conduct research that makes a difference. 

Dry Labs

In addition to wet labs, Bruntwood SciTech is proud to offer on-site dry labs at Alderley Park. These are primarily suited to  running computational experiments in physics and engineering, in addition to algorithms. 

As the industry progresses, Bruntwood SciTech customers are increasingly needing access to both a wet lab and a dedicated space to perform computational research, algorithmic tech, diagnostics and experiments, using high-performing equipment and specialist software. That’s why we’re continuing to develop lab and office space that meet the needs of today’s life science businesses - and the future’s - across the UK.

Office Space

Alderley Park’s companies aren’t just lab-focused - there’s also a range of science, technology and professional support businesses on the campus that strictly require office space. Whether your business requires a serviced, managed or leased office space, we can cater to specific requirements, with office space starting from only £23.50 per sq ft.

In addition, our coworking spaces at the recently developed Nest in Glasshouse,  allow individuals from smaller businesses, whether startups or freelancers, to mingle with other like-minded individuals, fostering collaboration and community. Nest is the perfect host for digital health, AI, gaming and fintech employees (and many more!) and benefits from a WELL Building Standard, reflecting Bruntwood SciTech’s commitment to employee well-being.

Well-Being

Bruntwood SciTech prioritises employee well-being and community across all buildings - and Alderley Park is no exception. The 400 acres of land in the park hosts weekly parkrun events, and boasts walking trails and cycling routes as standard, while the on-site facilities offer an immersive cycling studio with Les Mills THE TRIP, alongside a state-of-the-art gym, sports hall, tennic court and 5-a-side football pitch. In addition, the space has been recently renovated to include padel courts, reflecting Bruntwood SciTech’s ongoing commitment to adapting to new trends in the workplace. 

The park also features premium hospitality sites, including The Churchill Pub and Restaurant, coffee shops, and is even home to a working farm, allowing visitors to surround themselves with and benefit from nature.

Alderley Park’s Prime Location

Alderley Park not only boasts exceptional facilities but also offers outstanding transport links, making it an ideal destination for professionals and visitors alike. The campus is regularly served by the 130 bus, which stops at both Mereside and Glasshouse, meaning you can travel with ease. 

In addition to the 130 bus, those who prefer to travel by train benefit from three nearby stations: Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, and Macclesfield — with shuttle buses regularly operating between Alderley Edge, Macclesfield and the campus to facilitate an easy commute. 

The campus also benefits from proximity to several major roads. The first of these is the M6, with Manchester city centre conveniently located just 40 minutes away, while Liverpool can also be accessed in under an hour. With space for 4,000 vehicles offered by the on-site car parks, visitors and employees alike can park with ease. 

Finally, for those who enjoy cycling to work, or simply want to visit the cycling trails situated across the park, both lockable bike storage and shower facilities are available., making Alderley Park highly accessible regardless of your preferred transport style.

Benefits of Choosing Alderley Park

Alderley Park offers a vibrant and thriving ecosystem, particularly for businesses that operate in synergetic realms, such as biotech, GreenTech, software development, AI and drug development. This means there is a significant opportunity for cross-company collaboration and innovation, with mutually beneficial research and development opportunities and knowledge across a diverse range of companies, from start-ups to global corporations. Businesses can leverage both the park’s extensive resources and this network to accelerate growth and development. 

In addition, the facilities offered on-site are not only bespoke but world-class, meaning Bruntwood SciTech has the capacity to support businesses of all sizes. This means these businesses can be further scaled up in time, capitalising on over one million square feet of futuristic office and laboratory space. Hosting high-quality office amenities (such as 100gb connectivity) through to advanced laboratories and flexible work environments, both businesses and employees can flourish here. 

One of the key benefits of joining Alderley Park are the opportunities offered for both financial support and partnerships. These include the £32m Greater Manchester and Cheshire Life Science Fund, and access to partners such as Bionow, the University of Manchester, Manchester Digital and Innovate UK, giving your business the perfect opportunity to benefit from key initiatives. For younger companies, the Life Science Accelerator programme offers the potential of personalised support, including complimentary laboratory entry and access to PAYG scientific equipment worth approximately £20,000. Paired with bespoke business support and £10,000 of flexible financial support, this initiative has the capacity to transform and revolutionise life sciences start-ups in the UK. 

The recently launched Female Founders Accelerator also provides early-stage businesses with the essential support they need to level-up their start-up. As well as specialist business support and advice from programme partners, participants also benefit from six month’s free desk space at Glasshouse on campus and access to sector-specific events.

This financial support is married with partnerships with a variety of leading research institutions, and experts from various industries and universities, meaning Alderley Park provides businesses with innumerable resources to flourish. 

Which Businesses Are Best Suited to Alderley Park?

While the variety of spaces on-site make our facilities suitable to a wide range of businesses, the campus is particularly popular among companies focusing on digital transformation and science-led research. These may include those specialising in medical research, biotechnology, clean energy or pharmaceutical research, who benefit from the availability of both wet labs and dry labs, in addition to office space.  

Due to the availability of professional services support, the campus is also well-suited to any digital innovators. These span a wide number of industries, including e-commerce businesses or those operating in cloud systems or game design, who may find the community-led approach beneficial in accelerating and elevating their technology. 

Alderley Park is ideally suited for a diverse range of industries, including biotech, artificial intelligence (AI), medtech, life sciences, drug discovery, drug development, software development, digital health, gaming, ecommerce, fintech, app development, and green tech. The park's state-of-the-art facilities, advanced technological infrastructure, and collaborative environment make it an attractive location for businesses across these sectors, fostering creativity and growth.

Discover Your Space at Alderley Park

Alderley Park offers an unparalleled environment for businesses to thrive, with premier facilities, excellent transport links, and abundant opportunities for development. Whether you're a start-up looking to grow or an established company seeking to expand, Bruntwood SciTech can provide the perfect setting, with advanced office and lab spaces, cutting-edge equipment, and a supportive community. 

Take the next step in your business journey by exploring the unique spaces available at Alderley Park.Benefit from a thriving business ecosystem, access to bespoke support, and industry-leading amenities catering to your needs. 

Explore office and lab spaces across Alderley Park and other locations and discover why our premium locations are the ideal choice for your business today.