Our History
The Heath Business and Technical Park is a phenomenal regeneration success story. SOG Ltd, owner and operator of The Heath, has transformed an ailing ICI chemicals headquarters site into one of the UK’s most successful independent business and science parks.
The Heath was launched as a business and technical park in 2000 by a group of then-ICI managers and a successful local external businessman, following the announcement by the chemicals giant that it was to close its operation on the 50-acre site.
Remarkably achieved without any public finance, The Heath now a 60 acre site, provides office and laboratory accommodation plus a range of scientific and business support services to a broad spectrum of business sectors, ranging from forensic science and IT specialists to website designers and government agencies.
As well as creating jobs, the business park has also retained an important skills base within the North West region, with much of the highly specialised expertise associated with ICI, such as scientific glassblowing and experimental/research work in blast-proof laboratories, now serving a wider business and scientific community. Other facilities and services on offer include a purpose-built conference centre with 120 seat lecture theatre, Heath Leisure Suite, restaurant, café-bar, print shop and ample free car parking, to name but a few.
In recognition of SOG’s achievements, SOG has been rewarded with several high-profile business awards and has also received visits from many leading industrial and political figures, including Science and Innovation Minister Ian Pearson and the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair who encouraged SOG to replicate this regeneration model at other sites across the UK. A new Fusion initiative has been created to do just that.
The Heath has now embarked on an exciting development phase where new state-of-the-art office and laboratory buildings will be created. The first new building ‘Progressive House’ was officially opened in July 2009.