Nuclear science park planned for former Magnox site

Planning and development consultancy Turley submitted the outline planning application for the proposal, which would feature nuclear and clean energy research and development facilities, on behalf of Chiltern Vital Berkeley, following a public engagement programme in which 89% of respondents to a pre-application consultation said they agreed with the proposal to deliver a new world-class science and technology park.

The site comprises a parcel of previously developed land which formed part of the wider Berkeley nuclear power station. It is currently occupied by the Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park, acquired by Chiltern Vital Berkeley in 2024, and has an established history for nuclear, employment and education uses. It is perfectly suited to hosting the next generation of low carbon research and the development of skills that will support future global innovation, Turley says.

If approved, the development will offer up to 600,000 square feet (5.6 hectares) of new R&D, laboratory, office, manufacturing, and education facilities, creating up to 1,000 jobs.

"Our ambitions would deliver significant environmental and economic benefits, including the creation of high-tech jobs whilst supporting crucial research and industry," Project Manager Gerry Hughes said. "We've already got significant interest from some businesses at the forefront of innovation, which just demonstrates how important this project is, not just to Gloucestershire, but to the entire UK."

The Berkeley nuclear power plant was home to two Magnox units that were shut down in the late 1980s after more than a quarter of a century of electricity generation. In 1992, Berkeley was the first Magnox site to complete defueling. In 2010, after 21 years of decommissioning work, the units became the first to be sealed up and placed in 'safestore', a passive state in which the defuelled and extensively decommissioned units will be monitored and maintained until the site is completely cleared in about 65 years' time. The nuclear licensed site on which the decommissioned reactors stand is not part of the science park.

Stroud District Council will now determine the planning application. If approved, the outline application would agree the principle of redevelopment of the site's general parameters. The detail of the proposals would then be agreed through future planning applications, ensuring the specific needs of future occupiers are met.