Staff enjoy crafts and laughs

A group of Granta Park staff have been leaving their hi-tech worlds behind one lunch time a week to enjoy some good old fashioned craft activities.

‘Crafts and Laughs’ takes place at the McClintock building every Wednesday as a drop in session from 12.00noon to 1.30pm. Says Granta Park’s Marketing and Asset Manager Roz Bird: “Crafts & Laughs does exactly what it says, it’s an excellent way to meet with likeminded people and switch off from the pressures of work for an hour a week. Some members of the group bring along things they are already working on while others have joined for some creative inspiration. It’s a great environment for both craft experts and novices!”

Granta Park funded cycle path opens

Commuters and local residents can now cycle and walk safely between Sawston and Babraham following the opening of a £350,000 shared use path funded by Granta Park.

The two and a half metres wide path connects the two villages with a one mile long shared use path for both cyclists commuting to work and pedestrians wanting to get to each village. The scheme will also include improvements to the existing route between Babraham and Abington, which will be carried out in the next phase of work.

Says Roz Bird, Marketing and Asset Manager at Granta Park: “Having a green travel plan is very important to Granta Park as it means people find it easy to get to work and they have a number of options to chose from including the Granta Park commuter bus, a car sharing scheme and this much needed cycle path, which we are delighted will help the local community as well as commuters to Granta Park.”

The route, which is part of the Cycle Cambridge programme, a partnership of local councils working together to get more people cycling in Cambridge and the surrounding areas, was officially opened by Councillor Tony Orgee, Cabinet Member for Economy and the Environment and County Councillor for Sawston.

A second letting at newly refurbished Granta Park!

Ubiquisys, the leading provider of 3G femtocells, has taken a suite at the newly refurbished McClintock Building at Granta Park.
The company, whose main facility is in Swindon, will use the new facility as a development centre, focussing on 3G and LTE technologies as it deploys its range of small cells into new markets to prepare for the next generation of wireless networks.

Accelonix first with flexible office scheme!

Accelonix, which offers support services for the electronics industry, has moved to Granta Park as the first company to take advantage of the Park’s new Greenlite flexible lease scheme.

New office building let at Granta Park

MedImmune Limited, a global biologics unit of AstraZeneca, has taken the largest space on a science park in the Cambridge area this year, leasing the 22,000 sq ft office building at Granta Park.

In just nine years MedImmune has expanded from one 20,000 sq ft laboratory building to more than 200,000 sq ft of laboratory and office buildings at Granta Park.

Says Jon Green, Vice President Business Operations, MedImmune: “Being at Granta Park has been a big part of our success, demonstrating how locating in a well designed, well run science park can help us attract and retain the very best scientists and staff and be part of a vibrant, creative science community.”

Says, Granta Park MD Andrew Barlow, “We are delighted to be able to accommodate MedImmune’s continuing expansion plans at Granta Park. The company is a great asset to the Granta Park community and the Cambridge scientific community.”

WHAT PEOPLE THINK

"The northern science parks suffer terribly at rush hour, with near gridlock on the A14 near Milton on a Monday morning whereas Granta Park is relatively easy to get to and the addition of the shuttle bus service to and from the railway stations has made it even better."

Ted Smith, Human Resources Director, Vernalis

"The vibrant science and technology environment has been very useful, giving us opportunities to network with larger companies and we've been beneficial to them too."

Martin Woodhead, Woodhead Publishing

MEPC iPhone App Now Available

MEPC are delighted to launch their first ever iPhone App today giving customers immediate access to current availability across the eight MEPC Business Estates.

The App can be downloaded from the App store.

Granta Park Cambridge supports local allotments

Granta Park is helping fund 2.5 acres of allotments for residents of Great and Little Abington.

The allotments, on the Linton Road in Great Abington, will be used by 52 residents of the villages and are the culmination of six years of planning after a Parish Plan consultations showed that villagers wanted allotments in the area.

Following this the Abington Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Association (AALGA) was set up to find a piece of land and then fund the set up of the allotments. A local land owner agreed to rent the plot, which Granta Park, along with the two Parish Councils and South Cambs district council, supported. Allotmenteers themselves and others also made personal donations to the set up costs.”

Says Roz Bird, Markeirng and Asset Manager of Granta Park: “As part of the community in Great Abington we are delighted to help residents in this way and we are sure it will be a great success.”

MEPC Wins Estates Gazette Regional Award!

We are delighted to announce that MEPC has been recognised by its peers as a leader in its field by scooping the Estates Gazette Regional Awards for Property Company of the Year (London and South East).

Rick de Blaby, Chief Executive, comments 'This award demonstrates MEPC's commitment to providing Great Estates throughout the UK, accommodating more than 1,000 organisations, employing 20,000 people'.

Granta Park golf team is driven to succeed

Granta Park team member Catrin Owen, the only woman competing, took the prize for longest drive in the 10th annual Campod corporate golf day, a charity event sponsored by Granta Park.
Catrin, from Granta Park’s national property agents Cushman & Wakefield, was presented with the trophy by Professor Andrew Wylie, the Head of the Pathology Department at the University of Cambridge. The overall competition was won by Histon Old Boys Team 2. As well as Catrin, the Granta Park team included Howard Westgate from Granta Park local agents Jeffersons Commercial, Wayne Hall, from creative agency Impact and Jez Smith, who runs the Granta Park gym
Taking place at Girton Golf Club, the event brought together members of the local scientific community and other business sectors to raise money for Campod (the Cambridge Fund for the Prevention of Disease), a charity based in the University of Cambridge Department of Pathology.
Says Roz Bird, Marketing and Asset Manager at Granta Park: “It was great to see Catrin winning this trophy for the Granta Park team. It was an excellent event, helped by glorious weather, giving participants the opportunity for an enjoyable day out, to network with other members of the local business community and support such a worthwhile cause.”

ERBI unveils new name and brand identity: One Nucleus

Supports strategy for growth and expansion.

Cambridge and London, UK, 2nd June 2010- ERBI, the not-for-profit membership company for international life science and healthcare businesses, today unveiled its new name and brand identity - One Nucleus - at the opening of its 12th annual Conference at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.

One Nucleus is a new name for a new era, representing one network for biotech, pharma, medical device and diagnostic businesses. One Nucleus also speaks to the unification of the Cambridge and London Networks, following ERBI's merger with the London Biotechnology Network (LBN) on 30th April 2010. This strong, international brand supports One Nucleus's commitment to supplying high-value services to its members.

One Nucleus CEO, Harriet Fear, commented: "One Nucleus is the business catalyst for life sciences. We'd outgrown ERBI and needed a new name to match our reality as a global force in life science and healthcare. We intend to use this new identity as a springboard to new and improved benefits for members, building on the combined strength of our Cambridge and London membership."

About One Nucleus:

One Nucleus is a membership organisation for international life science and healthcare companies. We are based in Cambridge and London UK, at the heart of Europe's largest life science and healthcare cluster. Our mission is to maximise the global competitiveness of our members.

Established in 1997, and formally known as ERBI, One Nucleus is a not-for-profit, membership organisation owned by its members. More than 500 members include pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device and diagnostic companies and associated technical and commercial service providers.

One Nucleus is sponsored by MedImmune, as Corporate Patron, and Corporate Sponsors Barclays Corporate, Deloitte, IQ Cambridge, London First, Taylor Wessing, UCB and World Courier.

onenucleus.com

Contact:

One Nucleus - Harriet Fear (CEO), Barnaby Perks (Marketing Director)
+44 1223 896 450, info@onenucleus.com

College Hill - Adam Michael, Karen Manser
+44 (0)20 7866 7861, erbi@collegehill.com

TRIO OF OFFICE LETTINGS AT GRANTA PARK

A total of 15,500 sq ft of lab and office space has been let at Granta Park in the last month.

Bioscience networking organisation ERBI and biotechnology companies F-Star and Lonza have taken space at the UCB Building on the science park, which is also occupied by Pfizer Regenerative Medicine. All three are moving as part of an expansion into a building offering them fully fitted lab and office facilities on a fully serviced and supported basis.

Lonza Biologics plc has relocated its Applied Protein Services group to Granta Park. Says Senior Group Leader Yvette Stallwood: "Granta Park has an excellent working environment, facilities, transport links and services. With the site’s reputation as a hub of scientific excellence it is the ideal location for us to continue to grow and have the capacity to increase the throughput of our research projects and services."

It’s a similar story for F-Star: "Granta Park is well located for tapping into the Cambridge talent pool as well as being a green and pleasant environment with excellent facilities," says CEO Kevin Fitzgerald. "The UCB Building itself is bright, spacious and welcoming with labs already fitted and suitable for our purposes."

For ERBI the move to Granta Park supports its strategy for further expansion and also gives it the opportunity to run all of its activities, except for the Conference, in one location as Marketing Director Barnaby Perks explains: "After two very successful years at Babraham, working in close proximity to many ERBI members, we outgrew the space available, but will continue our excellent relationship with Babraham and look forward to welcoming all our members to our new location."

Says Granta Park’s Marketing and Asset Manager Roz Bird: "We are delighted to be able to welcome three new companies to Granta Park and look forward to helping them all to settle in and start benefitting from being located at Granta Park making use of the amenities and joining in with the networking and the social events."

The lettings were handled by Andrew Gordon of Lambert Smith Hampton acting on behalf of UCB who believes the building is a great choice for expanding bio science companies: "Companies looking to grow can move straight into a facility at the UCB building at Granta Park. There is nothing else on the market like it offering excellent accommodation, an innovative solution and speed of delivery. Once established companies also have the opportunity to grow within Granta Park."

There are a variety of opportunities to join the Granta Park community. For further details about the UCB Building contact Lambert Smith Hampton on 01223 276336 and for opportunities at Granta Park visit www.grantapark.co.uk.

ERBI and London Biotechnology network announce merger

Cambridge and London, UK, 30th April - ERBI, the not-for-profit membership company for international life science and healthcare companies, and the London Biotechnology Network (LBN), the business network for London-based life science organisations, have today announced a merger. The combined group will operate under the ERBI name, until the launch of a new identity at the ERBI Annual Conference on 2nd June.

Science Park Website Update Goes Live!

http://www.mepc.com/grantapark/Home.aspx

The new Granta Science Park, Cambridge website has now gone live. A new look with new information on the science park and it current offices/ laboratories available to let, along with all the latest news and background information on our part in the Cambridge science world.

Granta Park takes networking to Business Awards

Granta Park took its networking ethos to the Great Hall at King's College last week hosting a table of senior scientists at the Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards and sponsoring an award.

Explains Granta Park's Marketing and Asset Manager Roz Bird: "Granta Park aimes to add value to the science community by creating networking opportunities which could lead to exciting new collaborations. We call it 'engineered serendepity,' it's the idea that through conversations, in this case over dinner, ideas may, over time, be advanced."

On the Granta Park table were (as pictured left to right, top to bottom) Professor Roger Pederson (Cambridge University), Dr Fabio Magrini (MedImmune), Chris Neild (PPD), Dr Paul Whiting (Pfizer), Dr Nic Bowman (Pfizer), Rick de Blaby (MEPC), Dr James Murray (Vernalis) and Roz Bird (Granta Park).

Adds Roz: "I was delighted that we were able to secure a table of senior scientists at the Awards. I took the opportunity to rearrrange the seating plan at the end of every course, moving guests around the table to enable them to all meet each other and to give them time to discuss their fields of interest. This is part of our strategy to make Granta Park a special science park community that our customers can benefit from."

Granta Park sponsored the businessman of the year award which was won by Mark Davenport of waste management company Donarbon and presented by Ricke de Blaby, Chief Executive of MEPC, the national property company which manages 8 business and science parks including Granta Park.

There are a variety of opportunities to join the Granta Park community with office and laboratory accommodation available from fitted out office suites of 765 sq ft on flexible 'Greenlite' leases through to brand new, three storey, 28,000 sq ft building, ready for a company's bespoke fit-out, with high-spec reception and beautiful views of the Cambridgeshire countryside visit http://www.mepc.com/grantapark

Jane Osbourn, MedImmune

At a sell-out black tie event at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Stansted, Jane Osbourn, director of Cambridge-based MedImmune UK Ltd, was presented with the esteemed title.

Judges said: "What was particularly impressive about Jane was her own unique style of leadership that clearly delivers innovative, creative and sustainable results for everyone involved with the business - whilst still retaining her passion and dedication to Science."

The awards have become more and more hotly contested each year and recognise the success and commitment of women running and leading businesses throughout the six counties; Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

The event saw over 180 business leaders, mentors and award finalists come together to celebrate the process and learn of the winning individuals. Steve Elsom, from main sponsor Lloyds TSB Commercial, said this year's entrants had been particularly impressive and the award ceremony provided a very fitting way to celebrate the accomplishments not only of the winners, but of every shorlisted businesswoman from across the region.

"As the main sponsor for the East of England Businesswoman Awards, we have seen first hand just what an incredible wealth of talent and drive is out there within the business community.

I know that everyone from my team who has been involved in the judging process has really enjoyed meeting these inspirational women and I applaud every finalist and winner for what they have accomplished in their business lives so far."

Alison Beech, Chairman of the East of England Businesswoman of the Year Awards Committee, added her praise for each of the women acknowledged at the award ceremony.

She said: "It is always a great pleasure to meet with women who are determined to succeed in business and who are throwing themselves into the leadership of their own company or are contributing significantly to another enterprise.

I have been involved in the awards for a number of years now and continue to be impressed by the calibre of the entrants and the accomplishment of the winners.

We look forward to seeing what these women will go on to achieve in the future, for themselves, their businesses and the economic success of the region."

Vernalis earns milestone payment in Hsp90 inhibitor collaboration

Vernalis plc (LSE: VER) today announces the achievement of a milestone under the company's collaboration with Novartis on the oncology target Hsp90. The $3 million milestone is triggered by the first dosing in a Phase II proof of concept clinical trial of AUY-922, an Hsp90 inhibitor, in a range of solid tumours.

Ian Garland, CEO of Vernalis said "We are delighted that our programme with Novartis has progressed into Phase II and we look forward to the results of the current Phase II proof of concept study which Novartis has indicated are targeted for 2010".

Sculpture unveiled at PPD building

Contemporary art has been added to the many things that staff and visitors can appreciate in the surroundings of Granta Park, with the unveiling of a sculpture outside the PPD building.

Called ‘Family’ the work is a stainless steel sculpture by artist Mark Stein that depicts a father, mother and child. Working with corporate art consultancy Art Contact, the particular work was chosen for the way it represents the people who will be the future beneficiaries of the drugs the company is helping develop. It is also immediately apparent to the viewer, without need for explanation.

The sculpture, which is fabricated in stainless steel with a satin brushed effect finish, the three figures are leaning slightly towards each other to form an archway. The figures are 4m 2.5m and 2m high.

Says Matt Stein of his sculpture: “As with all my work, I attempted to combine simple forms and create a visual balance that works when viewing all the way around the sculptural group. It is orientated as if arms are opened to greet the oncoming arrivals.”

The sculpture also fits in with Granta Park’s strategy of making the Park’s surrounding a key part of what it offers occupiers and visitors. Says Marketing and Asset Manager Roz Bird: “We don’t just want to provide suitable office and R & D accommodation but want to create an environment that will impress visitors and motivate staff through low destiny development, landscaping and attractive features like this sculpture.”

Looking for offices for up to 20 people?

Granta Park have just launched Greenlite, a new way to let/rent office space. Specialising in smaller, flexable office space we've created office packages that offer real and genuine benifits to small and medium sized business looking for offices to let/rent on a budget.

Small/ Budget Offices To Let Cambridge