10 LIFE SCIENCES September 2009
Life Sciences:
Facilities
Open for innovation
Scotland boasts many possible homes for life science specialists
Donna Cameron,
Grosvenor
Pentlands Science
Park is one of seven
sites within the
Edinburgh Science
Triangle
W
hen it comes to
facilities to help life
science companies
develop, Scotland's
central belt is not found wanting.
There are a number of dedicated sci-
ence parks and innovation centres
offering varying degrees of support.
One major area is the edinburgh
Science Triangle, which incorpo-
rates seven different sites including
the Pentlands Science Park and
edinburgh Technopole.
In the west, facilities include the
West of Scotland Science Park, nova
Technology Park and the Innovation
Centre of Scotland.
Stirling University Innovation
Park also offers facilities for in-
novative research and development
companies and start-ups.
edinburgh Technopole is a joint
venture between the University of
edinburgh and property developer
and investor Grosvenor.
The site comprises four buildings.
Charles Darwin house � home
to BioBest, the specialist veterinary
virology, serology and DnA diag-
nostics business � comprises around
32,000 sq ft of primarily office space
but can be fitted out for areas of
laboratory or testing functions.
The Fleming Building was
designed for a mixture of labs and
offices, and is 36,000 sq ft in size.
Clinical research organisation
Kendle currently occupies approxi-
mately 40 per cent of the building.
Donna Cameron, an asset man-
ager at Grosvenor, says: "We also
have a serviced office facility, Bush
house, for small companies looking
for managed facilities."
The fourth building, the Techno-
pole Centre, is for medium-sized
firms generally with up to 15 staff.
So far, according to Cameron,
only a small percentage of the avail-
able land has been developed.
"The site is 126 acres and we have
consent for up to 500,000 sq ft of
building," she explains.
"So far we have developed about
20 per cent of that; we are develop-
ing it as and when there is demand."
The Innovation Centre of
Scotland runs two centres � the
hillington Park Innovation Centre
in Glasgow and the Alba Innovation
Centre based at Livingston.
Ross McLennan, wellness adviser
at the Innovation Centre of Scot-
land, explains these are incubation
suites and have intensive advisory
support for innovative new technol-
ogy and start-up companies.
The hillington centre has been in
existence for around nine years and
healthy interest has been shown by
companies. It is now pretty much
full, according to McLennan.
"The Alba centre is slightly qui-
eter," he adds. "It's only been open
for two years so is still picking up
clients. It's about 80 per cent full."
Stirling University Innovation
Park (SUIP) is located on 14 acres
with a range of property options
totaling 110,000 sq ft. It is home to
over 40 companies prospering in
technology-based business, includ-
ing life sciences.
There is a portfolio of units
available, ranging in size from 400
sq ft to 3000 sq ft in five buildings �
Scion house, the Innovation Centre,
Alpha Centre, Beta Centre and
Logie Court.
Services on offer include a staffed
reception area, telephone answer-
ing, word processing, photocopying,
report binding and laminating, a fax
service and full postal services.
Lynn Blaikie, operations and busi-
ness development manager at SUIP,
says, while not looking exclusively
for life sciences companies, it is an
area the park wants to build up.
"We have been lucky in that we
haven't had to do much market-
ing so far, with most of the interest
coming through word-of-mouth or
networking," she says.
"If a company is interested in
the park, we will try to fit out the
accommodation to their
requirements." n
The Edinburgh Technopole
site is 126 acres and we have
consent for up to 500,000 sq
ft of building. So far we have
developed 20 per cent of that

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