Work starts on landmark development in Stevenage

Following granting of planning permission by Stevenage Borough Council for the £66 million development which will become the European Manufacturing Headquarters of Autolus, a ground breaking ceremony was held today (8 November) at the former Marshgate carpark site.

This marks a milestone for the start of the works and was attended by representatives from Stevenage Borough Council, Autolus USA and UK, Reef Estates, UBS, Stevenage Development Board, Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Stevenage Bio-Science Catalyst.

The development by Reef Estates received planning permission in August 2021, with work planned to start immediately and scheduled for completion in 2023.

Autolus, a biopharmaceutical company listed on the NASDAQ, are focused on the development of precisely targeted, controlled and highly active T Cell therapies that are designed to offer cancer patients substantial benefits over existing standards of care and this facility will be the UK’s first purpose built CAR T- Cell manufacturing unit and will assist in the growth of the Cell and Gene therapy cluster in Stevenage (currently the third largest in the world).

Cllr Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council said: “I am very proud that Stevenage is home to a world-leading life science cluster already. This development will further enhance this and cement our standing as a leading STEM location within the UK. Autolus’s work perfectly complements the activities of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult already in Stevenage. We look forward to continuing to support this work with the life sciences sector to put Stevenage on the national map for the life science sector.”

Cllr Sandra Barr, Mayor of Stevenage said: “As we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year, it gives me great pleasure to see this happening right here in the town centre, bringing with it enormous benefits for the people of Stevenage, which includes employment and apprenticeship opportunities for young people – our next generation.”

Cllr John Gardner, Executive Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Environment at Stevenage Borough Council, added:  “Today’s event marks an important milestone for Autolus developing their European Manufacturing Headquarters in Stevenage, and a key moment for our regeneration and Towns Fund programme. We’ve retained part of the Marshgate site as a car park to serve the needs of the local community and I look forward to this development bringing footfall to our town and supporting the local economy.”

Olivia Drew at UBS-AM REPM commented: “We are very excited to partner with Reef on a GMP-led facility in the centre of Stevenage, a globally recognised hub of scientific innovation. Stevenage offers all of the key structural drivers we see as being necessary to support a thriving life sciences eco-system, as demonstrated by Autolus’ significant commitment to the area. We would also like to thank Stevenage Borough Council and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for their ongoing support of this development.”

Will Rohleder, Development Director at Reef Group said: “This has been fantastic public /private partnership to realise such an important facility in Stevenage town centre. Autolus have decided to locate their manufacturing HQ in the town creating over 400 jobs and committing their future to Stevenage, which is experiencing significant investment and regeneration. We look forward to working with all parties to complete this first phase and bring forward our wider life science vision for the town centre over the next few years.”

The 81,000 sq. ft. building will focus on strong environmental credentials and is targeting BREEAM excellent rating Through net-zero carbon emission design that uses heat source pumps and heat recovery systems, significantly reducing waste through the use of 5D BIM technology and, through hybrid construction with 75% offsite manufactured content, resulting in significantly reduced carbon emissions.

Adrian Hawkins OBE, Chairman, Stevenage Development Board said: “From our first meeting with Autolus in January 2021, the Regeneration Team at Stevenage Borough Council have demonstrated both their clear ability, knowledge and speed in proposing sites and several contractors to Autolus which has since resulted in the swift progress to planning permission, now approved, for the new Autolus HQ, to be developed by Reef.”

Dr Sally Ann Forsyth OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst said: “At Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) we have built a world class cluster of excellence accelerating the translation of cutting-edge science to improve the health and quality of people’s lives. We are delighted to continue our relationship with Autolus, which has been based at SBC since 2018, as it moves onto its next stage of development working with Reef and further strengthening the cluster here in Stevenage.”

Plans agreed for regeneration of key Matalan site

On 2nd March The Guinness Partnership, one of England’s largest housing associations received the overwhelming support of Stevenage Borough Council’s Planning and Development Committee for the regeneration of the Matalan site, Danesgate – a key site within Stevenage Town Centre.

The site has long been identified by Stevenage Borough Council as suitable for redevelopment.  It currently includes a retail store and associated car parking, as well as the adjacent car parking to the rear of the store and fronting Lytton Way.

In line with the outline planning permission agreed a number of years ago, 526 one and two-bedroomed apartments will be provided, along with 779 sq. m of flexible commercial space, which will be located at ground floor level.

The design, by Stirling Prize winning architects Maccreanor Lavington, was comprehensively reviewed and supported by the independent Design Council who stated that, ‘It is our view that this proposal would be an asset to Stevenage town centre’.

Jon Milburn, Group Development Director at Guinness said, “We are very pleased to receive the support of Stevenage Borough Council for this site which is a very important and integral part of the wider revitalisation of Stevenage Town Centre. Due to the site’s prominence and role in the Council’s ambitions for a new and vibrant heart to the town, we have placed a very high emphasis on achieving excellence in design. These proposals will transform an under-utilised brownfield site with excellent links to the town centre, leisure facilities and public transport including the brand-new bus interchange and the improved railway station.”

Jon Milburn, concluded, “We heard from councillors that they are very keen to see construction commence given the Council’s long-standing aspiration for the regeneration of the site. We will now take the necessary steps to deliver these exciting plans and expect construction to start in early 2022, creating an estimated 188 jobs. In line with our 130-year history of providing social homes, we will also assess our ability to increase the number of affordable homes above and beyond that which had been agreed in the outline planning permission prior to our involvement.”

Market Place Highly Commended in 2020 Street Design Awards

The transformation of the public spaces in Market Place, one of the original Stevenage Town Centre streets and one of the first to undergo regeneration, has been Highly Commended by judges at the 2020 Street Design Awards.

The scheme was completed in late-2018 and introduced a range of new universal play equipment and street furniture, bringing a sense of fun and identity to an area in need of renewal. The scheme has boosted footfall and increased activity, receiving positive feedback from businesses based there.  It was one of the first schemes delivered as part of the wider £1bn regeneration of the town centre.

The Awards are run by LocalGov, the UK’s largest dedicated government news website and celebrate innovation and best practice in street design across the country. Entries were submitted in February, before the pandemic, and Market Place was Highly Commended in the ‘Children’s Play’ category, being narrowly beaten by Islington LBC.

Cllr John Gardner, Executive Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Environment, commented on the accolade.

“We are delighted to have been Highly Commended in one of the UK’s leading Awards of its type. Prior to the regeneration scheme, Market Place was starting to become unattractive, however the transformation – with relatively low levels of investment – has been incredible and brought life back to the street, reflecting the quality of local businesses. We know from retailers and traders based here that footfall has increased and it’s rare to see the street unoccupied such is the popularity of the play equipment.  The accolade is testament to the hard work, innovation and creativity of our internal teams and regeneration partners.”

Cllr Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, commented.

“Market Place was one of the first areas we looked to transform in our 20-year, £1bn programme and the results have been outstanding. We always felt it was important to invest in our public spaces up-front as a catalyst for the larger scheme, and its impact has been clear to see and its success represents a strong platform to launch our other programmes from. We now have four major schemes underway in the town, with another to launch next year, and if the results are anything like we have seen with Market Place Stevenage is really set to benefit. After a very tough year for everyone this is some positive news to round off 2020.”

You can see a full list of winners here – http://streetdesign.localgov.co.uk/