An expert on science park developments has cast doubt in whether a proposed development by pharmaceutical company Wasdell Group qualifies for the name.

The Swindon-based company has asked for planning permission for a two stage development on green land between Swindon and Wanborough.

The first stage is a major new headquarters for its own manufacturing and distribution work, currently carried out in Blagrove.

The second phase of the application, is for a “science park” - buildings to be used by technology and research companies.

It says that the development would attract leading technology companies and that would bring highly paid and qualifies people to Swindon.

But opponents of the scheme the South Swindon Protection group asked Dr Malcolm parry, a founder member of the UK Science park Association and and managing director of Surrey Research Park to look at the application.

His report says: “To qualify primarily science parks have to be associated with a host organisation, traditionally a university with which it has formal links” although Dr Parry adds such parks also have host such as research institutes, academies of science and corporate research centres.

He adds: “There is no eveidence about an intention to link the packaging facility to any third-party host The suggestion is the packing facility will provide the infrastructure to support the small companies, but it is unlikely to provide the full support6 to meet the needs of the kinds of tenants the science park description implies. The conclusion is the site would become dominated by industrial use as opposed to research user s and not materialise as a fully-fledged science park.”

South Swindon Protection Group’s chairman, Jon Warr said: “This report by an acknowledged expert in this specialised field echoes one of the main objections the South Swindon Protection Group has submitted to Swindon Borough Council regarding this deeply flawed application.

"This applicant by no means fulfils any of these very precise and particular roles, which cannot coexist with a commercial organisation. Merely proclaiming the aspiration to do so is at best optimistic and at worst disingenuous.

"Having identified over 20 significant aspects in which this application falls short of planning requirements, the South Swindon Protection Group strenuously urges Swindon Borough Council to summarily refuse planning permission for this deeply flawed application detrimental to the interests of the Swindon population.

It is difficult to envisage an application more compromised than this. It should be summarily rejected forthwith.”

A spokesman for Wasdell Group said: “Notwithstanding the report commissioned by a third party objectors to our planning application, we stand by the reports prepared by our own professional advisors and submitted as part of the planning application.”