A major expansion at the Dorset Innovation Park in Winfrith could create up to one hundred new jobs if a new planning application is approved.
Norco Ltd, which has its head office in Poole, is seeking permission from Dorset Council for a multi-million-pound project that would more than double its existing capacity at the site.
The company’s application outlines plans for forty new jobs in the short term and a further sixty in the medium to long term. Around thirty staff are already based at Winfrith, according to council documents when the sale of the additional land was agreed earlier this year.
Councillor Richard Biggs, deputy leader of Dorset Council and portfolio holder for economic growth, said the proposals align with the council’s economic targets. He said the new Economic Growth Strategy aims for three hundred new jobs at the Dorset Innovation Park by 2029, and welcomes applications from businesses already on site looking to expand.
The Dorset Innovation Park still has around ten hectares available for development and is part of the council’s strategy to attract and retain high quality jobs in the county.
Norco’s proposal would see a store area built to the north of the current building and a large new facility to the south, together adding about 5,800 square metres. The expansion also includes a tall crane building, which would be one of the tallest structures on the site at 27 metres, almost double the park’s 14-metre design guide.
Architects acting for the company say the increased height is essential for operations and is similar in scale to former nuclear research buildings west of the site.
The facility sits next to the Weymouth to Waterloo rail line and, like other businesses on the park, is within a secure area with no public access. Many firms there are involved in the defence industry, and Norco is looking to grow its presence in that sector.
The plans also propose expanding the car park to 256 spaces, more than double the current capacity, along with 20 new cycle spaces.
Founded in 1985, Norco operates from six sites and employs more than 170 staff. Its customers include Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Siemens, Airbus, Sunseeker, the RNLI, Princess Boats and other defence-related companies.
Public comments on planning application P/LDP/2025/03871 are open until 20 August.