 Pentlands Science ParkLocation Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PZ Contact Details Contact: George Walker Tel: 0131 445 5111 Fax: 0131 445 6235 Email: george.walker@pentlands.co.uk History and Objectives  Pentlands Science Park (PSP) was established in 1994 by The Moredun Foundation for Animal Health & Welfare as the new home for the Moredun Research Institute. The development was supported by the European Regional Development Fund, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh & Lothian and by Midlothian Council. The Park became Europe's first based around the Institute's centre of excellence in veterinary science and animal health. Moredun celebrated its 90th anniversary year in 2010, having originally been established as the Animal Diseases Research Association in 1920. Moredun's Patron, The Princess Royal, kindly gave the keynote address at Moredun's celebration event in June.Progress to Date The Park was developed between 1994 and 1999 and extends to some 160,000 square feet of high class offices and laboratories, which house both Moredun and the commercial research companies based on the site. Adjoining the main science park are Moredun's unique animal facilities, an extensive range of buildings including traditional stock-holding sheds, high containment facility, post mortem building and on-site incinerator, the latter being subject to a £1 million upgrade in 2009. In January 2008, Moredun purchased the Glencorse Building from Scottish Enterprise and now has ownership of the whole site. The Doherty Innovation Centre is the Park's main multi-occupancy building providing flexible space for SMEs. The Park provides a full range of support services including IT, security, catering, cleaning, engineering, waste disposal and central stores facility. PSP also provides a lecture theatre and fully-equipped meeting rooms for the use of site tenants and external clients. The site has a back-up generator which can fully support the whole park. An outline planning application was approved by Midlothian Council in December 2009 in respect of a 20-acre site adjoining the existing Park. Work is now ongoing to bring forward proposals for the next phase of development for the science park to meet the expansion needs of existing tenants and, despite the challenging economic times, the encouraging number of enquiries from potential new tenants. In addition to the purchase of the Glencorse building, the new Park IT telephony system has now been installed and installation of a new building management system is now underway as the next phase of infrastructure investment. New video conferencing equipment has been installed together with WiFi connection in the main HQ building. The Park Cafe was completely refurbished in the Spring of 2010 and now provides a more attractive environment for Park staff to meet and eat and has resulted in a marked increase in turnover.  A link road, joining PSP with Edinburgh Technopole was constructed in 2004 and this brings social and commercial benefits to both parks. PSP acts as a security hub and assists both Technopole and the adjoining Scottish Enterprise manufacturing BioCampus with security services. In 2007, the library was refurbished to provide accommodation for the Moredun Communications Centre to develop new knowledge transfer initiatives led by a recently appointed Communications Director. This will seek to form stronger links and provide additional benefits to farmers and other stakeholders and also to develop educational links and programmes to interact with schools, particularly in association with Midlothian Council, the education authority. The new Roslin Institute building and the new Edinburgh University Vet School building are both due to be occupied during 2011 making the Easter Bush Campus one of the leading global locations for animal bioscience research. Moredun and PSP contributed to the drafting of Midlothian Council's Animal Bioscience Sector Action Plan, recognising this sector as an important economic development driver for Midlothian.Despite the economic challenges, PSP's tenant companies continue to perform well. Angel Biotechnology won a number of new contracts, raised additional substantial funding and supplied stem cell product for partner, ReNeuron, for a world-leading clinical trial on stroke patients being undertaken in Glasgow. Moredun Scientific invested in and expanded its bio-safety testing services, Alba Bioscience expanded its Product Development unit and GALVmed continues to expand and develop its structures to deliver vaccines and medicines to developing countries. PSP invested in new signage as part of the strategy to make the Moredun Group more visible in the community. PSP continues to be an enthusiastic stakeholder in the Edinburgh Science Triangle initiative which aims to promote Edinburgh's scientific strengths, attract mobile investment, build the scientific community and promote the science parks' role as important locations for these aims to succeed. PSP supports the Scottish Science Park Group in its activities to reinforce the value of science parks in developing the knowledge-based economy. The involvement of Moredun Research Institute in the new Easter Bush Research Consortium will present further opportunities as this new venture develops over the coming years. Pentlands was delighted to host the UKSPA Members' Meeting in May 2010, a very successful event staged with the support of its many partners. Companies on the Park Bio Related Alba Bioscience Monoclonal antibody unit and product development unit.  Angel Biotechnology LtdContract R&D and manufacture. Biobest Veterinary diagnostic services company. BioReliance Ltd R&D and testing of high-technology pharmaceutical products. DEFRA Isolation unit. Edinburgh Pharmaceutical Processes Ltd Pharmaceutical process research and development chemists offering services to the pharmaceutical and agro-chemical industries in assisting ensure regulatory approval for sale of products. GALVmed Facilitating the development and sales of medicines and livestock vaccines in developing countries. Hycor Biomedical Ltd Developers and manufacturers of autoimmune disease assay products. Inocul8 Vaccine development company. Institute for Animal Health BSE research project. Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) BSE testing laboratory. Moredun Research Institute Government-supported animal disease research establishment. Moredun Scientific Ltd Contract R&D company. Scottish Agricultural Science Agency Government-funded body controlling potato crop disease.  Scottish National Blood Transfusion ServiceProduct testing unit. VLA Lasswade Government-funded veterinary laboratory. Business Services Genecom Knowledge transfer and commercialisation of research ideas from Moredun Research Institute and Institute for Animal Health. Pentlands Science Park Ltd Property and facilities management services. Environmental CSI Europe Provides regulatory and environmental strategies for the global chemical industry. Entec Environmental management consultants. LTS International Land and timber consultancy services. Technical Consultancy Vetaid Veterinary aid consultancy and project delivery in developing countries. IT and Technology Edinburgh Laser Optics Optical product development and testing. Ledxon LED product development and manufacture. Tom Tom Software Software development and design. |
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