JANUARY 2005
Online
Geo file
Business Park Location
Introduction
A few decades ago most businesses,
whether they were retailing,
commercial or offices, were located
in town and city centres.
Increasingly in the 20th century,
employees travelled to work from
the suburbs as rail and road links to
city centres improved and the
process of suburbanisation gathered
pace. This gradually led to growing
problems, many associated with
commuting, including congestion
and pollution.
Our town and city centres were also
changing. A great deal of
redevelopment occurred after the
Figure 1: Plans for new business park in
Malta (2004)
$250m business park plan for
airport
Malta International Airport (MIA) yesterday
unveiled an ambitious $250 million project
intended to create a hub for international
trade and business.
The Mediterranean Business Park, as it will
eventually be known, will comprise a four-
star 80-bed airport hotel, exhibition halls,
offices, shopping malls and an
entertainment centre, among others.
Spanning an area of 140,000 square
metres, the project is aimed towards
foreign investment that has potential
synergies with MIA’s core airport
operations.
MIA will be seeking expressions of interest
from third parties to design, build, operate
and transfer 80,000 square metres of the
land for the proposed Mediterranean
Business Park. The rest of the area will be
embellished and the parking area
transferred underground.
MIA will then assume responsibility to
oversee, coordinate and facilitate the
execution of the project. The areas will be
given to developers for up to 55 years.
The MIA’s head of marketing, Joseph
Darmanin, said the centre would act as a
catalyst for the setting up of foreign
businesses in the region. It will especially
accentuate Malta’s role as a bridge
between Europe, Africa and the Arab world.
An outline planning application of the
project has been submitted to the Malta
Environment and Planning Authority.
Source: www.timesofmalta.com
Geofile Online © Nelson Thornes 2005
Second World War; much of this
was new building, sometimes as a
response to bomb damage. Much of
this building used the latest
construction techniques, often
involving prefabricated concrete
structures. Many urban centres
became very similar, with buildings
that may have been quick and easy
to construct but that many regarded
as being ugly and lacking character.
Redevelopment also cost a great deal
of money, and business rates (local
government tax) increased. City
centres became less attractive to
business activities, from both
economic and environmental points
of view. People were finding
traditional town and city centres less
attractive, with problems of noise,
air pollution, travelling and
difficulties of car parking. These
combined effects gradually led to a
process of decentralisation.
From around 1980 many businesses,
including offices, commercial
activities and retailing, started to
relocate or decentralise away from
traditional CBD locations. They
were drawn to the rural urban fringe.
Many activities located together on
what became known as parks. Shops
congregated on retail parks and high
technology industries on science
parks. Business parks have been
rapidly growing in number around
the world, and there are frequent
announcements of new parks being
planned and built (Figure 1).
What is a Business Park?
A business park is an amalgamation
of commercial activities on one large
landscaped site. Offices and high
technology firms are often
dominant, but a business park can
also include hotels and leisure-
related activities like restaurants and
health and fitness centres. Business
parks are usually set-up by
businesses seeking to develop
projects and initiatives commercially
and will draw in associated academic
personnel and business-funded
research and development over time.
Building density is lower than would
be usual in a traditional industrial
estate. It is suggested at this point
that you complete Focus Question 1.
489
Paul Warburton
Business parks generally are based
on a master plan usually controlled
by a single body. An overall
management structure should aim
to maintain high standards.
Management companies are set up
as independent organisations
representing a vital link between
owners, occupiers and providers. A
business park supports its tenants
by the provision of property
services together with ‘hard’ and
‘soft’ business services. The former
includes such services as reception,
phones, fax, photocopying,
cleaning, security, secretarial,
conference rooms, and equipment,
in other words, all those services
that enable a company to move in
and operate from day one. The
latter covers those services that are
more concerned with company
development such as technology
transfer, venture capital, student
placements, and marketing.
Locational considerations
Business parks are usually located
where motorway, rail and airport
communications are within a short
distance. They are often attracted to
locations on the rural urban fringe
of towns and cities. There are a
number of important locational
influences.
Land/site and environment
In order to provide the overall
facilities including infrastructure,
landscaping and amenities, scales of
economy can only be achieved
through a large site. A minimum
site area of around 20 ha (50 acres)
is usually required, capable of
supporting about 70,000 sq m
(750,000 sq ft) of business space.
Business parks are often attracted to
the rural urban fringe (Figure 2)
where greater areas of land are more
freely available. Space exists not
only for new businesses but also for
expansion. Greenfield sites also
offer room for car parking, which is
important as the majority of
employees travel by car. Greenfield
land is often cheaper and has lower
rates.
The environment on the urban
fringe is generally more attractive
January 2005 no.489 business Park Location
Figure 2: Business Parks around Exeter in Devon
A377
A396
1 3
Exeter
Central
Exeter
St David’s
2 houses 12 businesses in converted
St Thomas
A30 13
12
A379
A379 31
A38
To Plymouth
& Cornwall
than city centre locations, often
surrounded by fields and trees
rather than buildings and the noise
and pollution of a city centre. Many
business park sites have been
landscaped, with lakes and
fountains, and have retained
something of the feel of parkland.
Such locations are clearly attractive
to both employers and employees.
Businesses find it is easier to attract
well-qualified staff to work in such
locations. Property developers can
also attract customers to new office
developments, much more easily
when sites have a positive image.
The importance of environment
helps to explain why some new
business parks are locating in rural
areas sometimes in purpose built
premises but occasionally in
converted agricultural buildings.
The fast communications offered by
Geofile Online © Nelson Thornes 2005
To Bristol,
Paddington
& the North
14
4
B3182 29
Polsloe Bridge
8
7 agricultural buildings and lies outside
B3183 6
9 Digby & Sowton
30
A3015 10
11
14
A376
M5
Topsham
A379
1 Innovation Centre - University of Exeter
2 City Centre
3 Pinhoe Trading Estate
4 Exeter Business Park
5 Skypark (Proposed)
6 Park Five
7 Sowton Trade City
8 Sowton Industrial Estate
9 Peninsula Park
10 Pynes Hill
11 Woodwater Park
12 Matford Business Park
13 Marsh Barton Industrial Estate
14 Proposed Science Park - two alternative sites
under consideration
the internet helps to offset the
relative isolation of these locations
(Figure 3)
Not surprisingly, there are often
conflicts of interest when new
business parks are proposed.
Objections to the use of greenfield
land are frequently raised,
particularly if this involves green
belt or areas of high landscape
quality. Figure 4 illustrates this
point and also shows that
sometimes other issues arise which
affect the availability of land. Just as
there is pressure to use brownfield
sites for new housing, business
activities are also encouraged to use
such land. In many cities, business
parks have been located on
brownfield land often supported by
regional development agencies
(Figure 5).
Figure 3: Rural location for business park
To the M4,
Bristol, the Broadband problems solved
Midlands for rural Shropshire
& the North
Business Park
To UPTON Magna, Shropshire, 11 June
Waterloo 2003 – Advantage West Midlands, in
partnership with property agents
Balfours and ISP Internet Central, today
5 Exeter announced the forthcoming deployment
Airport of affordable broadband services to
Upton Magna Business Park. The
A30 business park, on the edge of the small
Shropshire village of Upton Magna,
existing broadband coverage. …
Richard Bayliss of Balfours commented,
‘As developers of rural business parks,
we realised that lack of broadband could
prove a big issue for us. It is getting
increasingly difficult to attract companies
to developments like Upton Magna if
broadband is not available, as many of
the companies that can locate in these
beautiful rural settings rely on the Internet
and fast communications to do
business.’
Source:
http://www.analysys.com/default_acl.asp?Mode=
article&iLeftArticle=41&m=&n=
Employees
We have already considered the
growth of the suburbs. By locating
closer to the rural urban fringe,
businesses are close to a pool of
labour. Employees also have shorter
journeys to work, with reduced
stress, air pollution and congestion
on roads.
Communications
The rural urban fringe of many
towns and cities is close to excellent
road links (Figures 2 and 6). These
include dual carriageway status
roads, often by-passes, and frequently
these link into the motorway
network. Sites are consequently
accessible for both employers and
employees and visitors. Many
business parks are also well served by
access to airports (Figures 2 and 6)
including those of international
status, which is an important
locational criteria particularly for
multinational companies with
important facilities on business
parks. Although the number of staff
currently arriving by public
transport is usually low, it is growing
in many business parks. Good access
to public transport, including rail,
remains important and becomes
essential for sustainability measures.

Figure 4: A Welsh business park
Business Park Plan for Camp
By Tryst Williams
The historic Word War II Prisoner of War
camp at Island Farm, Bridgend, is to be
developed as a business park under plans
announced by Bridgend County Council.
The site housed some of the most
important German Prisoners of War,
including the inventor of the V2 rocket,
Major-General Dornberger, and was also
the scene of the biggest escape attempt of
the war in Britain when 67 German
prisoners tunnelled to freedom on March
10, 1945.
But council officials say a planning
application for the site is imminent, after it
was earmarked for employment
development in the unitary development
plan (UDP) – the council’s planning
blueprint for the county for the next 15
years.
Martin Hooker, Bridgend’s assistant
director of planning, said: “The site has
been allocated for employment use and is
intended to be an extension of the science
park.
“We’re talking to the Welsh Development
Agency about a scheme there and I expect
we’ll move to a planning application in less
than six months. What we’re looking for is
buildings for hi-tech companies.”
The development would also involve
building a new roundabout on the A48.
Mr Hooker confirmed the future of Hut
Nine, the last remaining structure on the
site, is safe as it is a listed building.
Rachel Roberts, 22, from Bridgend, is
currently studying the history of the camp
as part of a Master’s degree in social
history.
She said: “People seem to have forgotten
about the site and don’t realise that we
used to keep prisoners. We should keep it
– it’s a piece of history they’re trying to get
rid of.”
But chairman of Bridgend Civic Trust
Roger Sellick said: “Our view is we
wouldn’t be too worried about the
development of the Prisoner of War site.”
He said the trust’s main objection to the
UDP was the lack of “green wedge”
protection given to open land at the rear of
the Island Farm site, between the villages
of Ewenny and Merthyr Mawr.
The deadline for objections to the UDP was
4.30pm today.
Source:
http://www.royaldockstrust.org.uk/rdteam.html
Geofile Online © Nelson Thornes 2005
January 2005 no.489 business Park Location
Amenities
The provision of amenities is
dependent upon the location and
size of each development and what is
on offer within the immediate
surroundings. Where facilities do
not exist locally
they become more necessary for the
overall establishment of a business
community. The proximity of off-
site facilities became an important
consideration in respect of
developments at the smaller end of
the scale.
Market
An ideal location is often close to
existing markets and most probably
a centre of regional importance.
Case study – Cheadle Royal
Business Park, south
Manchester
During the 1970s and 1980s
Wilmslow and Handforth were
growing dormitory areas for
Stockport and Manchester (Figure
6). Nearby suburban areas like
Bramhall, Styal, Alderley Edge and
Woodford were also growing. The
volumes of traffic using the A34 into
the city centre grew steadily and the
centres of Wilmslow and Handforth
became increasingly heavily
congested. In the late 1980s, plans
were put forward for the
Wilmslow–Handforth by-pass,
which was to include the central
section of the Manchester Airport
Eastern Link Road (Figure 6). Work
started in late 1993 and the project
was completed in early 1996. The
new dual carriageway status road was
opened on October 24, 1995. An
integral part of this project was the
development of a number of new
retail parks (Figure 6) and a new
business park at Cheadle Royal. A
number of businesses contributed
towards the cost of the by-pass as
part of an arrangement with local
and county authorities (Cheshire
County Council and Stockport
Metropolitan Borough Council) and
the Department of Transport.
Cheadle Royal is now firmly
established as one of the UK’s finest
business parks. Set in 67 acres of
mature parkland close to Manchester
Airport, the development provides
quality office accommodation, which
is now largely completed and
occupied by tenants, including
Umbro, Whitbread and Independent
Insurance.
Figure 5: Business park on brownfield
land
Royals Business Park
Ambitions to create a new £500 million
business park in London’s Docklands
came a step nearer in February 2001
when the London Development Agency
(LDA) announced that property developer
Development Securities PLC had been
selected as its partner for this
development which is major plank in the
Agency’s regeneration programme for the
Royals and a key part of its overall
economic development strategy for
London.
On completion, the 50 acre Business Park
will be the capital’s largest urban business
park with 1.6 million sq. ft of offices and
100,000 sq. ft of ancillary retail and leisure
accommodation.
Source:
http://www.royaldockstrust.org.uk/rdteam.html
The Park includes other businesses
including a David Lloyd Racquet
and Fitness Centre, a Travel Inn
Hotel, and Brewers’ Fayre
Pub/Restaurant and TGI Friday’s
Restaurant. Unlike many other
business parks, Cheadle Royal
provides a range of amenities and
everyday facilities that staff would
normally only expect to find in a
town centre. The David Lloyd
Centre also includes a crèche, bars
and a function room which can be
hired for presentations and
functions. The Travel Inn Hotel has
42 bedrooms and two conference
suite facilities capable of
accommodating up to 35 guests in
each. There are also extensive rural
footpaths, jogging routes and
attractive lakeside seating areas.
Conclusion
We have seen that a major issue is
the impact of business parks on the
environment, particularly as
business parks are attracted to the
urban fringe and more rural
locations. A relatively recent trend
has been to move towards more
ecologically-conscious design of
business parks. This includes greater
use of organic materials, natural
lighting and ventilation.
Property developers have started to
embrace or at least consider green
concepts. This is partly because it
makes economic sense, the product
is more marketable, and also the
general drift of legislation policy,
particularly emanating from
January 2005 no.489 business Park Location

Brussels, is forcing development in Figure 6: Location of Cheadle Royal Business park, south Manchester
this direction. Increasingly, business
centres could take the form of a
farmhouse with a converted barn. A34
Locations such as rural Wales are
expected to be attractive to creative A6
workers, teleworkers and craft and
lifestyle enterprises.

Business parks are clearly very M60 Stockport

profitable developments for property
developers as well as being attractive Cheadle
for businesses. Business parks are
M56
here to stay and we are likely to see
more being built, influencing the Cheadle
geography of office and business Royal Retail
location. Business Park developments

Useful sources of Manchester

information
Airport Handforth
Cheadle Royal Business Park Styal A523
(although note not up to date):
http://www.cheadle-
royal.com/small/index.html. Wilmslow/
Handforth
Other websites referred to in this
Wilmslow Bypass
unit.

Focus Questions
1. Outline the difference between a retail park, a science park and a business
park.

2. (a) Milton Park is situated 12 miles south of Oxford and is one of Europe’s
largest mixed-use business parks and a major regional and national hub for
knowledge-based industries. It has over 150 companies and about 6,500
people are employed. Use the business parks website
http://www.miltonpark.co.uk/. Attempt to classify the different companies –
these could be randomly selected or you could divide them amongst a group.
It may be difficult to identify the areas in which some companies operate, but
try to cover as many as possible to gain an impression of the type of activities
on the park.
(b) You could then present this data in a pie diagram using for example
Microsoft Excel.

3. Construct a table summarising the advantages and disadvantages of city

centre locations for businesses.

4. (a) Imagine you were constructing part of a website for Cheadle Royal
Business Park. How would you promote the location of the Park?
(b) Outline the other advantages to employers and employees of the Cheadle
Royal Business Park.

5. Many business Parks like Cheadle Royal have good websites. Study the
website for Edinburgh Business Park or one of your choice perhaps near to
your school / college.
Identify all the attractions of the park – be selective in using the website and
identify the main points and produce a structured article with appropriate
headings.

Geofile Online © Nelson Thornes 2005