Kent's Discovery Park provides £324m of value to UK economy

According to a report looking at Kent’s largest community of science and innovation companies, Discovery Park is estimated to be worth more than £324 million a year to the UK economy.

The report suggested that this value is thanks to the combined efforts of the 160 companies and 3,100 employees at the Sandwich site.

In the last year companies at Discovery Park have employed 900 contractors, with an estimated 1,840 jobs being supported elsewhere through the activities of on site firms.

Cllr Roger Gough, Leader of Kent County Council, said: “The report confirms Discovery Park’s place as one of the county’s most important economic drivers. With some 14,600 STEM undergraduate and postgraduate students at the county’s universities it is important that we do everything to retain these skills in Kent.

''The commitment to promoting collaboration between the companies on site and the county’s colleges and universities is a model of good practice that we should highlight and encourage others to consider in strengthening Kent’s skills base and improve productivity.”

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Of the jobs on site, 57 per cent are involved in life sciences, health and social care, technology, information and communication companies. A further nine per cent work in manufacturing and engineering, plus ten per cent in construction, development and facilities management, and 13 per cent in professional services.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, said: “The report recognises the work we have done to promote innovation and provide business support for our companies. We have successfully helped open doors to funding opportunities, made high quality laboratory and office space available, and nurtured the STEM skilled workforce of the future.

“Our mission is to become a world-leading science park. Many of the companies based here are driving improvements in healthcare through innovation and collaboration, and we are determined to play our part in creating the right conditions for growth.”

Again according to the report in question, which is as of yet unnamed, an important element of Discovery Park’s success has been achieved by helping companies grow on site by focusing on skills development. The Skills Hub, a partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, EKC Group, Pfizer, The Stem Hub and, University of Kent, is proving successful in providing tenants with the facilities to provide further training to their workforce.

Discovery Park is a 220-acre science park which offers companies laboratory space, office and manufacturing facilities, and a local scientific talent pool. Notable tenants include: Pfizer, Algaecytes, Canterbury Christ Church University, and Concept Life Sciences.

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