AstraZeneca to donate Brixham lab to Plymouth University

AstraZeneca has announced that it will be donating its environmental laboratory in Brixham to Plymouth University, a move that will have significant benefits for the local science and research community.

The company decided in October 2013 that it no longer wishes to operate the facility as environmental research is not a key part of its strategy. However, it wished to ensure the site would still remain in use for scientific purposes.

As such, it will hand ownership of the centre to Plymouth University, which plans to use the site to create a global research and education facility. The university also intends to offer commercial innovation opportunities through the facility via the region’s Growth Acceleration and Investment Network.

The transfer of ownership is expected to be complete by the end of April 2014.

Steve Rumford, head of the environment team at AstraZeneca, said: "Plymouth University is a world-class teaching and research institution and we are confident that we have chosen the right partner to secure a successful future for the site."

This comes after the company announced last month that it has selected architecture firm Herzog and de Meuren to design its new base in Cambridge.