The draft, which outlines the council's expectations for the proposals, will now undergo a formal six-week consultation process before being reviewed again.

The site is owned by Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP), which bought the land after AstraZeneca revealed plans to transfer its research and development staff to Cambridge.

It is planning to invest in improvements and maintenance over ten years in a bid to retain the sites R&D capabilities.

Michael Jones, leader of Cheshire East Council, said: "Our aim is to create an independent, self-sustaining, world-class hub for life sciences, while also protecting the heritage of this unique site.

"The early signs are very promising and we hope that a redeveloped Alderley Park could support as many as 7,000 jobs, which is more than were employed at the peak of AstraZeneca’s activity."