York ‘Bio Business Park' plans revealed

A new 'bio business park' that could support the creation of more than 500 jobs has been proposed for a site in York.

A partnership between York-based developer North Star and contractor Simpson, along with the Biorenewable Development Company (BDC), is behind the proposed development on land next to the existing commercial park just off the A64, opposite the Highwayman café. 

The scheme has been named York Vale Bio Business Park.

The BDC is an open-access R&D biorefinery centre, and a subsidiary of the University of York, working between academia and industry to convert plants, microbes and biowastes into profitable biorenewable products. 

It operates a successful bio park in Dunnington, which is owned by Simpson. This is now fully occupied, with a waiting list of companies wishing to take space. 

The new business park would provide flexible space for companies in the sector. It would also complement the Local Enterprise Partnership's ambitions for York and North Yorkshire to be the UK's first Carbon negative region and the BioYorkshire initiative, a collaboration between the University of York, Fera Science and Askham Bryan College to build the region's bioeconomy sector.

The masterplan for about 300,000 sq ft of space could also feature sustainable technology as well as an electric charging hub and a new nature reserve. 

A key element of the plans is also a new roundabout to serve the new and existing businesses, which would also help improve road safety. 

A spokesperson for the partnership said: "This is an opportunity to help make York and North Yorkshire cement its place as an exemplar region in the bioeconomy sector. If we don't create more space then businesses will be lost to other parts of the UK, which we know is already happening. 

"The excellent existing facilities at the BDC in Dunnington and the FERA campus at Sand Hutton are both oversubscribed and so there is a desperate need for more flexible, specialist space for growing and new businesses to flourish.

"We do not believe that there is anywhere else in York that could accommodate this space, especially in such a strategic location, ideally situated between the existing BDC facilities and the FERA Campus.

"Our aim is to continue to work with stakeholders and the existing providers to ensure that these plans can offer as many benefits as possible to York and the wider region."

A planning application is expected to be submitted to City of York Council in the coming months and, subject to approval, work could start next year.