U.K. eyes agrotech hub near Cambridge

Plans are advancing to establish a $650 million, 225-hectare hub for developing agricultural technologies near Cambridge, England. Cambridge Agritech, an investment syndicate and the hub’s proposer, says a recent briefing on its plans before the U.K. Parliament’s House of Commons was well received. The hub could play an important role in the U.K.’s future industrial strategy, according to George Freeman, a member of parliament who spoke at the briefing. The hub aims to facilitate the commercialization of a wide range of agricultural technologies. Although there is plenty of red tape still to clear, Cambridge Agritech hopes it will be able to start up the site in 2020. Chinese technology and investment firm Dynasty Biotechnology is one of a number of firms already planning a presence in the proposed technology park. Bayer, which operates an agricultural R&D center near Cambridge, says the hub is a “great idea” and could enhance connections among plant scientists already working in the region. The German firm has no plans to take a place in the hub but says it expects to work with companies that do.