32 BusIness AUGUST 2019
feature
B
usiness parks must
be sustainable, well
connected and
accessible in order to
stay viable for the
future.
That was the
message delivered by speakers at an
event exploring the future of business
parks held by the Manchester Evening
News in association with Airport City
Manchester and British Council for
Offices (BCO) North.
Peter Baird, an associate and urban
designer at architect firm Perkins+Will,
said there had been “a lot of
misunderstanding” around business
parks.
“There is a perception that all
business parks are buildings in
the middle of nowhere with
lakes and a fountain but
from research and
visiting parks around
the UK, there’s a lot
more diversity in
the way they’re
operating.
“There is
transformation
taking place in a
lot of locations to
pool in more activity
so they don’t have
that picturesque
isolation feel that they
used to have.”
The event saw Baird deliver a
presentation drawing on extensive
research published by BCO and
co-authored by Perkins+Will, project
managers 3PM and cost consultants
Exigere, which identified four key
emerging trends of business parks.
“There’s going to be a greater shift
towards universities, research and
commercialisation of the intellectual
property coming out of the universities
within business park locations,” said
Baird.
The report showed that many
successful business park developments
benefited from close proximity with
universities, with many successful
science parks located close to Oxford
and Cambridge.
He continued: “Secondly, they’re
also going to change more with the
environment, which will push
residential accommodation.
“Trend three, as we are here
in Manchester Airport City,
there’s going to be as
bigger picture of how we
can use the
international
connections, how
we can get good
connectivity, not
just regionally and
nationally but
globally.
“The fourth key
trend is the increase
of urban districts, an
urban subgroup of
research-focused business
parks, which create
opportunities for idea sharing or
creative collision,” Baird said.
Connectivity was also a key theme.
Strong connections to a businesspark was important but also crucial for
staff retention, said Baird.
“The more choices you can give to
your employees, the happier they’re
going to be in terms of how they
organise their day.
“Recruitment has always been an
important part of deciding where you
locate your business.
“So, retention is linked to the
amenities and accessibility, which is
now driving where companies choose
to locate as one of the three factors
alongside, internet download speed
and quality of the property.”
Baird was joined by 3PM project
manager Rob Burborough, Manchester
Airport Group Property’s Gareth
Jackson, Planit-IE managing directorEd Lister and JLL’s Richard Wharton for
a panel discussion, chaired by BCO
North’s Philip Doyle.
Wharton said one of the main
challenges for business parks is their
competition with city centre locations,
as more businesses move to the city to
attract and retain staff.
“Business parks that succeed will be
the ones that complement the city
centre offer.
“Not everyone wants to be in the city
centre and not all staff want to work in
the city centre, so that fight for talent is
still absolutely paramount and the
better business parks, the ones that
succeed will be the ones with a
coherent master plan.”
Burborough said technology wereBuilding the
business
parks of
the future
Property experts discussed the future
of business parks at a panel event
hosted by the M.E.N. in association
with Airport City Manchester and
BCO North. Isabel Finch reports
Business parks that
succeed will be the ones
that complement the
city centre offer
Peter Baird,
Perkins+Will