AUGUST 2019 BusIness 33
driving the change of business parks,
with companies using both city and
more remote locations.
He said: “Tech is now going into
science in a big way, so business parks
are now becoming science parks or
technology parks where they’re maxing
out the use of sheds, manufacturing
and using all their horsepower off out
into the regions, while they’re
intellectual property is in the city
offices.
“Technology is also changing the way
science is done so you need a small
space, more agile space, and that’s
what we see.”
Wharton stressed the difference
between “genuine” out-of-centre and
“fringe” business parks, such as
Spinningfields, which has the “best of
both worlds”.
“The have city centre connectivity but
allied to that they have the coherent
park where they’re able to invest in
wellbeing and amenity to create a
campus feel.”
He continued: “So it’s a district
within the fringes of the city centre,
rather than the genuine out of town
which is very much public sector,
car-driven which is fine but it’s not for
everyone.
“Having those two complimenting
each other is important and it’s
something that Manchester and the
north west has done very well.”
Making business parks less car-
dependent was also a priority, as MrLister stressed “cars aren’t the future”.
He said: “The cycle infrastructure
isn’t there yet and I think we’re all
aware of that, and they’re doing a great
job in Manchester at the moment with
the Bee Networks.
“But we’ve got to get more people
cycling, we’ve got to take pressure off
the roads and we shouldn’t be building
business parks that are dependent on
c a r s .”
Jackson added: “At the moment,
business parks are generated from
historic infrastructure, and I think
you’ve got to take the view going
forward that redevelopment will be
focused on pedestrian and cycling and
less reliant on cars.
“We need to think about a differentapproach and we need that kind of
thinking to get that off the roads.
“People need to have a more cerebral
approach to thinking of connectivity,
access and site access.”
Baird also said the number
companies providing their own
transport services, such as shuttle
buses will also increase.
He said: “If you are a location that
has got about a thousand employees,
they can employ technology to
understand where the employees
live, where they need to get to, how
they’re going to move from that last
part of their journey and can provide
services.
“That’s something that we’ll probably
see more of.”The event at Manchester Airport