Energy company Areva T&D and St Modwen have revealed plans to redevelop Areva’s existing premises in Stafford as a £55m business and science park.

The company will now work towards submitting a planning application for a 335,000 sq ft development on the site, at St Leonards Avenue in Stafford.

The development will include offices, workshops, laboratories and test facilities. The existing Sports and Social Club will be retained and refurbished. The rest of the site – around 20 acres – will be sold for residential development.

The business park will be situated on part of the 74-acre site which St Modwen bought in 2002 as part of the 500-acre Alstom portfolio, prior to the sale of the T&D division to Areva in 2004.

Ian Romano, senior development surveyor at St Modwen, said; ‘In the coming weeks we will be actively consulting with the community about the proposed new 335,000 sq ft of facilities and associated development works on this 74 acre site. This will provide local people with the opportunity to provide any feedback on the proposals before a planning application is submitted to Stafford Borough Council.’

Maurice Williams, Areva T&D UK finance director, said: ‘For the last couple of years we have been working closely with St. Modwen to develop our plans for upgrading our sites across Stafford. We were recently able to conclude the first part of our plans at the end of last year by buying back from St. Modwen the facilities we had been leasing at Lichfield Road.

‘Our current facilities at St. Leonards Avenue were originally built in 1962 and no longer match our future requirements. We now want to give Stafford the best chance of retaining its strategic position and build facilities that reflect our position as the UK’s leader in our field.’