Case Study Cambridge Science Park

Question 1

Location?

Answer 1

Cambridge (‘Silicon Fen’), UK

Question 2

Industry type?

Answer 2

Quaternary Industry

Question 3

How many businesses and in what sectors?

Answer 3

Home to over 100 businesses

Most are in bio-medical, IT and telecommunications sectors i.e. high tech, quaternary industries

Question 4

Why businesses chose Cambridge area: physical - climate?

Answer 4

• Dry, sunny climate
• Attracts businesses and workers
• CBridge has one of lowest rainfall totals in UK: 554mm/yr compared to UK ave. 1126
• It has high no. of sunshine hours: 1501hrs/yr compared to UK ave. 1355

Question 5

Why businesses chose Cambridge area: physical - landscape?

Answer 5

• semi-rural landscape of Cambridgeshire provides an attractive alternative to London
• good for workers keen to maintain a reasonable work-life balance

Question 6

Why businesses chose Cambridge area: human - transport?

Answer 6

• Attracts businesses who need easy access to London and rest of U.K. And rest of world as excellent transport links
• The M11 linking CBridge to London was completed in 1980
• Fast trains to Kings Cross takes just 45 minutes
• Stansted international airport is just 45 min train or car journey away

Question 7

Why businesses chose Cambridge area: human - university?

Answer 7

• CBridge uni provides a steady supply of highly trained graduates to work at these firms
• As recent graduates they are quite cheap
• There is also collaboration between uni departments and high tech businesses which is attractive prospect to new firms
• GlaxoSmithKline and the Department of Pharmacology, Microsoft Research and Cambridge Computer Laboratory (nb not acc located on Science Park)

Question 8

Why businesses chose Cambridge area: human - prices?

Answer 8

• Industrial land, labour, residential properties and cost of living are all cheaper than in the capital
• Ave. house price in Cambridge is £322,263 compared to £419,091 in Greater London

Question 9

Why businesses chose Science park: physical - grounds?

Answer 9

• 152 acres of the park have been carefully landscaped to maintain a peace and serene environment
• 20 acres of open, public space with benches and footpaths to encourage workers to enjoy them
• Planning ensures that many buildings are not visible from these areas
• Car parks and waste collection areas are screened from view

Question 10

Why business chose the Science Park: human - business facilities?

Answer 10

• Park provides wide range of facilities to care for businesses especially high tech and so encourage them to locate here
• The Innovation Centre (flexible space for startup businesses), 5 fibre optic broadband systems

Question 11

Why businesses chose Science Park: human - social facilities?

Answer 11

• Park provides range of facilities to cater for workers and so encourage them to come and work here
• Trinity Centre includes a restaurant, coffee shop and bar and also a health and fitness club and The Kids Unlimited nursery

Question 12

Why businesses chose Science Park: ‘Innovative Milieu?’

Answer 12

• New firms are attracted to collection of similar firms by prospect of networking and sharing ideas
• This phenomenon is particularly common in high tech industries and has led to clusters of new firms being called ‘innovative milieu’
• They may also exchange workers with firms