AstraZeneca has received the go-ahead for a new 8,890sq m (95,691 sq ft) facility at its Hurdsfield site in Macclesfield, which will employ 72 people.

Cheshire East Council has given planning permission to redevelop building 52 at the site, despite concerns there is a ‘high risk of contamination’. However, the council elected to pass the application with a condition that the remediation strategy must be agreed before work starts.

The application is for a pharmaceutical facility that would house manufacturing, technical, storage and preparation areas. According to documents submitted with the application, the facility would meet regulatory requirements and supply the worldwide market for the next 20 years.

A report by consultants BakerHicks, says: “The construction of building 52 will ensure AstraZeneca maintain their position as a leading global biopharmaceutical business and marks a long-term commitment to continued manufacturing at the Macclesfield campus. In short, the proposed development will have a positive effect on economic growth in the area.”

An AstraZeneca spokesman said: “As with any historic industrial site, we are following the normal processes to sample and remediate any historic ground contamination, if present. This is standard procedure. We requested a five year period for planning permission to provide us with maximum flexibility in the current climate.”

AstraZeneca is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines. With its global headquarters in Cambridge, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.