The Church Commissioners for England, in partnership with Legal & General and Gisborne, have submitted a planning application for an employment-led knowledge and innovation hub on a 43-hectare site at Bushfield Camp in Winchester.
Bushfield Camp was first allocated as a site for development by Winchester City Council in 2013 and the new vision for the site was designed by international architecture and landscape practices MAKE and Gillespies following consultation with the local community.
The development will have a purpose-built knowledge park at its core and it is hoped the site will attract major organisations looking looking for new headquarters across life science, media and health sectors.
Joanna Loxton, head of strategic land at the Church Commissioners for England, said: “To be delivered in partnership with Legal & General and Gisborne, Bushfield will provide critical employment led space that will serve Winchester and Hampshire’s growing business economy while adding to the diversity of Winchester’s employment offer.
“We expect this purpose-built space will not only reduce the need for people to migrate to other locations, but will actively pull into its orbit scale-ups and specialist businesses that have been considering alternative locations.”
Ben Rodgers, head of regeneration for Legal & General’s Real Assets division, added: “Attention is deservedly given to the well-established spheres of life science, innovation and media in the UK. It is important however to recognise the importance of supply chains and specialist sub-sectors that feed creative solutions into them, as they are an essential part of the research and development process.
“The Church Commissioners for England, Legal & General and Gisborne have worked alongside Winchester City Council to ensure Bushfield delivers both economically and environmentally, in support of the council’s declared nature and climate emergency policies. With this in mind, we have worked closely with the council throughout the landscape-led masterplan and will continue to do so in support of the recently declared nature emergency. We are committed to presenting a masterplan and application process which delivers for the city, its residents and council.”
