A PLAN to create a Medi-Park - a high tech health and life sciences hub - near the Grange University Hospital, will be submitted to Welsh Government to determine if it is worth pursuing.

The idea, to provide a base for health and science-based businesses on the outskirts of Cwmbran, creating scores of jobs, has been developed as the hospital, opening next month, has been built.

Now a Medi-Park ‘vision’ - and economic, financial and commercial considerations underpinning it - has been agreed by Torfaen County Borough Council and latterly Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, in a strategic outline case (SOC) they hope will be approved by policymakers in Cardiff Bay.

The park would involve new office, research and development, and high quality production space close to the hospital, targeting firms in South Wales’ growing health and life science sector.

Economic appraisal indicates a £24.5m investment of public money over 30 years in a two-phase, 120,000sq ft development could generate benefits worth around £59m to the Cardiff Capital Region - which includes Gwent - over the same period.

The main aim is to develop links between such businesses - including the likes of medical and biomedical technology, and pharmaceuticals - and the NHS in Wales, alongside quality job and business opportunities.

A masterplan has also been created for what has been christened the Llanfrechfa Grange Campus, to ensure the Medi-Park could be developed while protecting land for future health and residential developments near the hospital site.

READ MORE:

Torfaen council chiefs describe the Medi-Park as the ‘project of a generation’, with potential to transform the local economy, and there is similar optimism in the health board.

Independent board member, Torfaen councillor Richard Clark, said it is “in line with the rebuilding of the economy in this area, channelling new skills and exploiting existing skills”, and could “change the whole dynamic of how the health board operates”.

Fellow independent board member David Jones called for caution, suggesting it be put on hold and reviewed in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. He also wants more exploration of its commercial viability.

Health board planning director Nicola Prygodzicz said the pandemic’s effects can be factored into the next stage, and the SOC found there is a commercial case.

“There’s been very informal discussion with industry around interest in a project like this,” she said, adding that the Cardiff Capital Region team has been involved in discussions “and there is sufficient feedback and evidence to support that there would be commercial interest”.