Partners

Malvern Hills Science Park is a joint venture between and is actively supported by:

QinetiQ is the largest research organisation of its kind in Western Europe, with 12,000 staff of which two thirds have a technical background. QinetiQ has a considerable breadth of expertise in science, technology and engineering spanning from aerospace technology to human psychology.

DERA QinetiQ's primary customer, the MoD, relies on QinetiQ for the future defence needs of the Armed Forces. The total business turnover of QinetiQ is approximately £1B p.a of which about 10% is in the civil sector.

Malvern is one of QinetiQ's primary sites with some 2400 employees in the 70 acre site. The research at QinetiQ Malvern has a strong tradition of being innovative, world leading and successfully developed into commercial products by industry. As testament to this there have been 13 Queen's Awards for Technology made to the QinetiQ research teams at Malvern in partnership with industry.

Whilst QinetiQ has been particularly successful at ensuring the UK MoD has the most advanced high technology equipment, much of the research at Malvern has also been very successfully developed for civil applications. Examples include the ubiquitous Liquid Crystal Displays (invented at Malvern), thermal imaging cameras such as those used by fire fighters, e-Mail and e-Commerce security techniques and speech recognition systems.

The Science Park and on-site Defence Diversification Agency staff will make it possible to acces these and other technologies.

Equally attractive to tenants will be QinetiQ's evaluation capabilities. These include:

Extensive electronic, optical and mechanical test and evaluation facilities, ranging from metrology to complex high frequency measurement.

Fully equipped mechanical and electrical engineering facilities

A dark tunnel at nearby Pershore for controlled low light sensor evaluation

Anechoic chambers

A laser range (1Km)

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) measurement facilities

The above comprehensive range of research activities and facilities are supported by excellent intellectual property management team who will facilitate mutually beneficial agreements between QinetiQ and science park tenants.

Malvern Hills District Council is committed to the development of its economy and this is reflected in its major stakeholding in MHSP. Malvern is already home to many high tech companies and the Science Park will build on its reputation as a centre of scientific excellence and act as a magnet for future inward investment to the area.

Malvern has a reputation for the scenic beauty of the Hills, an inspiration for Elgar and as a centre for private education, yet it is a town that is rapidly developing to meet the needs of the new millennium. This is supported by investment from a dynamic District Council for whom economic development is top priority. Industrial land for new businesses, retail investment from major high street names, sport and leisure projects, a major Arts complex and significant environmental improvements are all underway in the town.

Hereford and Worcester County Council led the way for the new authorities of Worcestershire County Council and the Herefordshire Council to be committed to this exciting new Science Park Development.

Linked to QinetiQ, with its long history of innovative and successful product development in the field of electronics, the County Council is confident that the project will raise the economic profile of the whole area.

The park will act as a catalyst to attract high quality investment and jobs to the locality, a key objective of the local authorities. The advent of technology transfer from QinetiQ, coupled with pro-active local authorities in the inward investment market place, will combine with the other Partners to create a Science Park of regional, national and international significance.

The Chamber area covers Herefordshire & Worcestershire and has a highly skilled workforce, leading the field in the West Midlands. It can offer a comprehensive service to businesses locating to MHSP. Business Link Advisers will operate in association with the Science Park and will be on hand to help companies with their needs. Details of services on offer are outlined on the Business Services page of this site.

Advantage West Midlands (AWM)
The West Midlands Regional Development Agency - Advantage West Midlands - has been actively involved with MHSP since the Agency's launch in 1998. AWM inherited the Single Regeneration Budget from the former DETR. MHSP was awarded some £472,000 SRB funding to develop the first building on site - the Innovation Centre.

AWM prepared the West Midlands Regional Economic Strategy (WMRES) in 1999, and in 2001 the Agenda for Action highlighted the priorities to achieve it. The WMRES is based on the following four pillars:
- creating a diverse & dynamic business base
- creating a learning & skilful region
- creating the conditions for growth
- regenerating communities

The Agenda for Action identifies three significant delivery priorities to deliver real, long term economic growth in the West Midlands. The creation of: Regeneration Zones; the development of high technology corridors; and promoting investment and growth within 10 business clusters.

There are six Regeneration Zones across the region (five urban and one rural) and AWM are working with partners to develop 15-20 year economic regeneration plans. Zones are built on a solid assessment of need, linked to investment and development opportunities. MHSP lies within AWM's Rural Regeneration Zone which covers a large part of rural Worcestershire, Herefordshire & Shropshire. The Rural Regeneration Zone (RRZ) budget in 2003/04 was £10.8 million. MHSP was awarded £266,000 RRZ funding towards a site preparation project which has provided a level, serviced site in readiness for the next phase of built development. AWM have provided a funding oportunity to support the provision of Phase 3, a sustainable energy building of some 40,000 sq ft.

MHSP and QinetiQ (formerly DERA) are located at the southernmost tip of AWM's Birmingham-Worcestershire High Technology Corridor, The Central Technology Belt (CBT). The Corridor aims to attract more technology-based, high value-added businesses through the presence of research institutions, universities and property opportunities.

gowm
Government Office West Midlands (GOWM)
The European Secretariat at the Government Office has responsibility to deliver European Structural Funds within the Objective 2 and Objective 3 Programme Areas of the region.

For the period of 2000-2006, a West Midlands European Objective 2 Programme worth over £500M has been approved by the European Commission. Objective 2 seeks a positive step change in regional economic performance, through its improvements to infrastructure, business and industry while also encouraging social regeneration and supporting environmental sustainability.

MHSP is located within the Chase Ward of the Malvern Hills District, and is one of ten wards included within the Objective 2 Programme Area. The rationale for the Objective 2 Programme, the priorities and indicative actions that can be supported are set out in the Objective 2 Single Programme Document and programme Complement. Please refer to the GOWM website www.go-wm.gov.uk if you require more information.

To date, MHSP has received £590,000 Objective 2 funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) towards the construction of the Regional Technology Exchange, the second building on site. A further £160,000 ERDF funding has been secured to advance site preparation work to clear, level the site needed for the next phase of building work.

In addition to site expansion, MHSP has won £736,000 ERDF support to provide two new business support services over a three year period from 2003-2007. Further information relating to the Prograta Fund and the Higher Capacity can be obtained from Ian Page the MHSP Technology Co-ordinator - contact 01684 585200 or email ianpage@mhsp.co.uk or visit the website www.highercapacity.co.uk