Treatt plc granted planning permission for 10-acre site at Suffolk Park

Treatt plc, the leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative ingredient solutions for the flavour, fragrance, beverage and consumer product industries, has been granted planning permission to relocate and expand its global headquarters to a new 10-acre site within the Enterprise Zone at Suffolk Park in Bury St Edmunds.  This follows outline planning permission which was granted in April last year for the 114-acre Suffolk Park, including manufacturing space on Treatt’s site, to the development’s promoter Jaynic.

The contemporary design of Treatt’s main building is impressive and incorporates a stunning curved glass frontage where new, state of the art laboratories will be showcased, greatly enhancing visitors’ experience and providing all the facilities for the company’s scientists to develop the ingredient solutions of the future.   The scheme will also include light and spacious open-plan centralised office space, manufacturing and warehousing.

Treatt is working closely with local schools, including the recently opened Sybil Andrews Academy, in order to expand its educational support which in turn will help to lift skills and expertise across West Suffolk, creating new opportunities for younger people as they leave education.

With the help and advice of a Travel Management Team, Treatt is aiming to maximise sustainable travel in the area, for example by encouraging people to cycle to work and offering covered and secure cycle parking, as well as providing showers and changing facilities for staff.  There will be a number of electric charging point car parking spaces and car share scheme.  Separate commercial vehicle access will be located at the southern end of the site where there is direct access from Junction 45 via the new Eastern Relief Road.

A native tree planting scheme has been designed that includes flowering and ornamental trees with seasonal interest.  There will be woodland planting on the south east of the site and to the north a tree grove will be incorporated together with dense street tree planting.  Landscaped areas including a sensory garden with aromatic herbs and BBQ area will provide space for employees to interact and engage with each other.

Treatt is a long-established company which moved to Bury St Edmunds in the early 1970s and is currently located across seven acres and six separate units in Northern Way.  The company employs almost 200 staff at the UK site and supplies customers across the globe.  The estimated £35 million investment in the new site (net of disposing of the current site) will enable the company to have facilities which are fit for purpose for the future.

Suffolk Park has Enterprise Zone status on 35 acres and will accommodate up to 2m sq ft of business and distribution units.  Jaynic, as development promoter, is working on behalf of Taylor Wimpey.  Planning permission was granted on 6 April 2017 for B1 and B8, together with detail for the main infrastructure and landscaping on Taylor Wimpey’s 114-acre site at Bury St Edmunds.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council, New Anglia LEP and Suffolk County Council all invested money to secure the Eastern Relief Road, unlocking the 68-hectare development of Suffolk Park, while the Borough Council also negotiated the land deals to make this possible.

Together with New Anglia LEP, St Edmundsbury secured Enterprise Zone status for the 35 acres at Suffolk Park. This offers Business Rate incentives over a five-year period, to encourage both the expansion of existing businesses that previously may have been considering locating away from the area in order to find the space to grow, and to entice new businesses to the St Edmundsbury area.

The Enterprise Zone is also part of the Borough Council’s aim to lift skills and expertise across West Suffolk, creating new opportunities for younger people as they leave education.

Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council said: “It has long been our ambition to create opportunities for local companies such as Treatt to expand and develop within West Suffolk, to create new employment and offer the chance for young people to learn new skills. That is why we have worked so hard not only to secure the land at Suffolk Park, but also to gain Enterprise Zone status. I am delighted that Treatt has spotted the potential that this site offers to its highly successful and growing business.”

The New Anglia LEP is a business-led collaboration between the private, public and education sectors across Norfolk and Suffolk. Its aim is to drive economic growth and transform the local economy into a global centre for talent and innovation.

Suffolk Park is one of 10 sites which form New Anglia LEP’s ‘Space to Innovate’ Enterprise Zone. The sites across Norfolk and Suffolk all offer discounted business rates, simplified planning and access to superfast broadband to new and expanding businesses. The LEP aims to create 18,500 jobs in the 25 year lifetime of the zone, including 5,000 by 2021.

Launched in April 2016, Space to Innovate sites are already home to 56 companies, which have delivered 247 new jobs and attracted over £9m of private sector capital investment.

Chris Starkie, Managing Director, New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Treatt’s commitment to Suffolk Park is testament to the excellent infrastructure the site has to offer, and to the superb benefits of discounted business rates, simplified planning and Superfast broadband offered on our ten Enterprise Zone sites across Suffolk and Norfolk. And of course, it’s great news for the success story of economic growth here in the East.”

Treatt is also sponsoring the Bedingfield Way Roundabout on Moreton Hall.  Melanie Lesser, Bury in Bloom Co-ordinator comments: “Bury in Bloom is delighted that local company Treatt are sponsoring the Bedingfeld Way Roundabout.   Spring bulbs were planted on this roundabout last autumn and the flowers are now in bloom and are being enjoyed by residents and visitors to the area.  Treatt’s roundabout sponsorship is part of their ongoing support of Bury in Bloom which has previously included the Green Fingers campaigns. Company sponsorship is vital as it enables Bury in Bloom to carry out floral projects to improve grey areas across the town. Last year we were delighted to win Anglia in Bloom and to qualify for Britain in Bloom 2018 and credit must be shared with all our sponsors and supporters.”

Notes for editors:

Treatt plc is a leading global beverage ingredient solutions manufacturer supplying products to the flavour, fragrance and consumer goods industries.  The company is renowned for its technical expertise and knowledge of ingredients, their origins and market conditions.

Treatt moved into Bury St Edmunds in the early 1970s and is currently located across seven acres and six separate units in Northern Way.

Companies/organisations involved:

St Edmundsbury Borough Council

New Anglia LEP

Taylor Wimpey (Developer)

Jaynic Ltd (Project Manager)

Hazells Chartered Surveyors (Agents)

Arctica – Architect/Principal Designer

PM Projen

Principal Contractor TBA