The success of Discovery Park in creating thousands of jobs in East Kent over the past three years has resulted in the Sandwich site being selected to support the growth of a new science park in Essex.

At a meeting this week Harlow Council’s cabinet unanimously approved a joint venture between Discovery Park Ltd and construction firm Vinci UK to develop part of its Enterprise Zone.

The 25-acre hectare London Road North site has been made available for design and build opportunities with a focus on the Med Tech, Life Science and ICT sectors.  It follows a procurement process by the council.

It will be part of the London Road Harlow Enterprise Zone and next to a modern new business park and data centre campus at Kao Park and also the home of a new Anglia Ruskin University Med-Tech Innovation Centre.

Paul Barber, Managing Director for Discovery Park said: “Discovery Park has built on the success of Pfizer through the decades going from five to over 120 businesses employing some 2,400 people in three years.

“We are proud to have been recognised as being among the UK’s flagship Enterprise Zones and are looking forward to sharing our experience with Vinci UK in the development of Harlow’s new science park.

“It does not affect what we are doing at Discovery Park with the refurbishment of the site’s iconic Building 500 fully expected to deliver more jobs over the coming months as tenants move in.”

Councillor Jon Clempner, Leader of Harlow Council, said: “We are looking forward to working with VINCI and Discovery Park to bring these ambitious plans for a state-of-the-art science park to life.”

Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader of Dover District Council, said: “This partnership underlines the success of Discovery Park as an exemplar of the Enterprise Zone model in creating and sustaining jobs.

“I am delighted that the Discovery Park team’s expertise is being used to support Harlow and the contribution it will make to the growing cluster of science and technology businesses in the South East.”

Bruno Dupety, CEO of VINCI PLC said: “VINCI and Discovery Park will set out to deliver a unique scheme for Harlow that is a step change from what currently exists in the town, creating a vibrant hub for people to meet, form partnerships and exchange ideas.”