Park builds on Wallace and Grommit

Institutions in the south west are creating a united front - but they are not necessarily all doing the same thing.

An eight-year-old scheme to build Britain's largest science park on the outskirts of Bristol is on the verge of getting planning permission.

Details of the development on 1,000 acres at Emersons Green to the north east of Bristol and south of the M4, 400 acres of which have been earmarked for the science park, are to be considered by South Gloucestershire Council's planning and transportation committee next month.

Despite a long series of setbacks for the project's backers, who include academics from Bristol University, Bath University and the University of the West of England, the new unitary authority now appears ready to grant planning permission. Alan Joyner, director of planning, said he was optimistic.

The development has been complicated by the fact that two sets of landowners have submitted separate planning applications. But Mr Joyner said all discussions have been on the basis that land would be reserved for an academic innovation centre and science park as a condition of permission. The landowners would also provide the funding for the innovation centre. The universities, working through a Science Research Foundation, which has been established by Bristol and Bath universities and involves academics from UWE, would provide the expertise and academic staff.

Don Carleton, secretary and chief executive officer of the foundation and information officer at Bristol University, said the science park would be different from others in Britain. It would be much bigger, modelled on developments in North Carolina and it would combine research and manufacturing.

"The day the science park opens we want to put up to 150 postgraduate level workers and support staff in," Mr Carleton said.

The SRF has already formed a joint venture with the Franco-Italian semi-conductor manufacturer, SGS Thompson. It now has about 50 researchers working in its operating division, known as the Partnership in Advanced Computing Technologies, which has secured European contracts worth Pounds 6 million.

The science park follows several successful collaborative ventures between Bristol University, UWE and local industry. The two universities have set up a Creative Media Institute, working with film production and advanced computer companies. One of the firms most actively involved is Aardman Animations, which makes the award-winning Wallace and Grommit films.

Bath University is also involved with the two Bristol institutions in a new advanced manufacturing centre. Researchers have helped introduce robotic manufacturing systems into a toy factory in Somerset and meat processing plants.