Joint venture partners ProLogis Developments Ltd and Dartford Borough Council have appointed START International to manage the London Science Park at The Bridge, the £500 million mixed-use regeneration project in Dartford. In a separate agreement, START International has also taken a lease on the business and innovation centre that forms the first phase of the 328,000 sq ft London Science Park. Construction work on the 30,000 sq ft centre, which will be known as The Nucleus, is already underway and the building will be ready for occupation in March 2007.

Providing 65 units from 75 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft on flexible terms, The Nucleus will be open to start-up and Stage 2 companies as well as to more established organisations in the science and technology sector. Both the Council and ProLogis are keen to develop a bedrock of knowledge-based industries in Dartford and The Nucleus will provide both the structure and the tools to give these high-growth operations the best chance of success.

At The Nucleus, START International will provide a range of business support services both to occupiers of the business and innovation centre and to users of its virtual service, who could be based either in the new live/work homes at The Bridge or further afield. START International will also provide links with universities, such as the University of Cambridge and research institutes at a national level as well as with initiatives within the EEDA, SEEDA and LDA regions. Crucially, there will also be a Venture Capital Fund to provide seed funding for growing organisations.

The London Science Park, which will offer a range of self-contained buildings ranging from 29,000 sq ft to 67,000 sq ft including office, studio and laboratory space, will provide a growth path for companies who flourish at The Nucleus. It is also well-placed to attract inward investment into Dartford and START International will be encouraging a complete cross-section of organisations to relocate to The Bridge.

As Roger Perrin, Chief Executive of START International said: “There is enormous potential for developing science and technology businesses in the Dartford area and The Bridge will provide an ideal environment to create an entrepreneurial culture. We will encourage occupiers involved in a wide range of businesses to come to The Bridge because it is the cross-fertilisation of ideas between different branches of science and technology that really creates the businesses of the future.”

Paul Weston, First Vice President at ProLogis commented: “START International is one of the UK’s leading innovation centre operators and we are delighted that it will be running The Nucleus at The Bridge. The company has a great deal of experience and many useful contacts, so it is ideally placed to offer the best possible support to expanding local businesses.”

Jeremy Kite, Leader of Dartford Borough Council added: “The vision of the Council and ProLogis is for The Bridge to be a powerhouse for the Dartford economy. START International will help us to turn this vision into reality and The Nucleus will be an invaluable local facility.”

Jones Lang LaSalle and CBRE are joint agents for the London Science Park while introductions to The Nucleus will be welcome from all parties.