Agency launches Ansty Park public consultation

Advantage West Midlands is about to start the public consultation over new plans for the flagship Ansty Park high technology business park in Coventry and Warwickshire, which will create up to 7,000 jobs.

Local people are invited to look at the latest development plans for the 100 acre (40 hectare) former airfield site, which will be displayed at The Ansty Club, Grove Road, Ansty, on Tuesday November 25th between 2pm and 7.30pm.

The site’s original outline planning permission agreed in the 1990s was for 100,000 sq metres of floorspace. Following a detailed review of site opportunities and potential needs of major companies looking to move to Ansty Park, a revised outline planning application for 140,000 sq metres of floorspace has been drawn up.

The site is owned by Advantage West Midlands and the scheme is being developed in partnership with Rugby Borough Council, Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council.

Advantage West Midlands is investing around £44 million of funding into remediation and highway infrastructure on and off-site.

Telecommunications leader Ericsson has already moved on to Ansty Park to establish a new research and development (R&D) centre. It will be home to up to 850 Ericsson staff once construction work on the two buildings is completed in May 2009.

Steve Holland, Head of Asset Management at Advantage West Midlands, said: “We want people to come and view and comment on the plans for Ansty Park, a development which is already bringing new jobs to the area.

“When the Agency inherited this site back in 1999, the intention was for it to become the home to a single occupier. We negotiated the removal of such a restrictive planning consent and together with partners came up with a vision for a world-class R&D park.

“It’s fabulous to see a world class company such as Ericsson selecting Ansty Park - and the new plans will help encourage other high-tech, top quality companies to come and do business here in the West Midlands.”