A MULTI-MILLION pound science park specialising in health and life sciences has been officially opened at Porton Down. 

The Beech-Allen Building is the first phase of Porton Science Park. 

The park is set alongside the Porton Science Campus, which is home to the Defence and Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Public Health England (PHE) and Porton Biopharma Limited (PBL).

The first phase of the project has been funded by Wiltshire Council, the Local Growth Fund via the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP), and European Structural and Investment Funding through the European Regional Development Fund.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook, OBE, leader of Wiltshire Council officially opened the park today (Friday, September 21) alongside John Mortimer, the chairman of the SWLEP and Roz Beech-Allen, the widow of Peter Beech-Allen who inspired the creation of the park.

Baroness Scott said: "Wiltshire Council set out to create a platform for science and technology innovation and to nurture new and growing companies in some of the most dynamic business sectors in the country. 

"Together with our partners, we have made this happen. We are at the start of a fascinating venture which will bring high skilled jobs to the county and a real boost to Wiltshire's economy."

A special plaque was unveiled in memory of Peter Beech-Allen, who was previously a director at the Wessex Forum. 

His family said: "He was such a visionary and would have been really chuffed [with the science park]."

Twelve companies have already taken up residence at the park including Ploughshare Innovations, KalVista, Flurogenics and Immunotec. 

The chief executive officer of Ploughshare Innovations said: "We wanted to be at the heart of the science park because we kind of straddle the public sector and the private sector so it makes a lot of sense for us to be here."

He said the facilities were "very good" and that it was a "great environment to welcome customers to and to do business".

The building is part of a ten hectare site which is being developed to focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and high tech growth.

John Mortimer, the chairman of the SWLEP, said: "Our area has a strong legacy in scientific reesrach and development and the SWLEP and by investing in the Porton Science Park, we are supporting specialised development to generate new jobs and mark the area's growth into a competitive cluster of science and research companies."

Gary Aitkenhead, the chief executive of Dstl, added: "At Dstl, we have a strong track record of working with entrepreneurs to help protect our armed forces and the British public, and the new science park can only strengthen these relationships and help create a world-leading science and technology hub in south Wiltshire."