The Hi-Tech Industry

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The Hi-Tech Industry

Over the last twenty years the hi-tech industry has gained a foothold

in Cambridge, as it has all around Britain. Cambridge University

decided to set up a Science Park in the north of the city. A Science

Park has a distinct difference from a business or industrial park, in

that it is more research orientated, rather than production and

commercially based.

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Some examples of companies that have set up in the Science Park in

recent years are:

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-Napp Laboratories

-Cell Systems Ltd

-Pafra

-Intervet

The main types of companies that set up in the Science Park are:

-Chemicals 32%

-Instrument 20%

-Electrical engineering 20%

-Business Services 12%

-Professional Services 12%

-Manufacturing 4%

Cambridge Science Park has grown from one company in 1973 occupying a

space of 1395m2, to 69 firms in 1988 occupying a space of 69285m2. The

University has carefully controlled this growth so as not to overwhelm

the local environment, including the Greenbelt.

The transport links to the Science Park are very good, such as the A14

and the M11, and that is one of the reasons for its massive growth.

The Science Park does not have it's own exit on to the A14, which

contributes large amounts of traffic to the top end of Milton road.

The Science Park was the idea of Dr. John Bradfield, a professor from

Trinity College. He saw 'Silicon Valley' in America and decided to

build one along the same lines in Cambridge, and this has now been

called 'Silicon Fen'. This was built on a disused area of land to the

north of the city, this land was owned by Trinity College.

The building of the Science Park was carefully managed so as not to

allow it to grow out of control, this was done by opening it in five

stages, the last being opened in 1990. This allows companies to extend

their current properties; this was taken up by Napp pharmaceuticals

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