Waters buys Wilmslow Office Park from RBS

US scientific group Waters Corporation has agreed to buy the 37-acre site of the aborted Wilmslow Office Park in Cheshire from Royal Bank of Scotland.

Waters plans to build 220,000 sq ft of offices, customer demonstration laboratories, research and development, manufacturing and laboratory space on the site which fronts the A538 Altrincham Road, three miles south of Manchester Airport.

The deal is understood to have been completed at a price in excess of £5m and is subject to Waters gaining planning permission from Cheshire East Council for the development.

RBS had planned to develop offices on the site in a joint venture with Rok Developments before the latter went into administration. There is an existing planning consent, won by Rok in 2007, for 220,000 sq ft of offices that expires in August 2011.

Waters will relocate 513 staff from four sites in south Manchester to the new base, if built. The company has offices in Floats Road, Wythenshawe; Atlas Park, Wythenshawe; Crewe Road, Wythenshawe and Tudor Road, Altrincham.

Waters makes mass spectrometry equipment used for analysing materials in laboratories, enabling scientists to confidently measure components or contaminants present at levels well below a millionth of a gram. It is routinely used to test food and water and to develop healthcare products.

Brian Smith, vice president of MS business operations at Waters Corporation, said: "We are committed to working closely with our customers to advance mass spectrometry capabilities to address scientists' and societies' most pressing challenges. The new Waters MS headquarters will be designed to accelerate the rate of innovation with increased access for the world's scientific thought-leaders."

Waters will be holding a public consultation at Wilmslow Rugby Club on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 January 2011 from 3pm-9pm to give the local people of Wilmslow an opportunity to learn more about the company and plans for the Stamford Lodge site.

Erika Wenzel, chief executive at Cheshire East Council, said: "is a fantastic opportunity to regenerate this area of Wilmslow.

"It will undoubtedly bring an exciting new perspective to the economic make up of the area and we are working closely with them to ensure that their move here is as smooth as possible."

The new Waters MS Headquarters is expected to open in 2013.