A new research facility is coming to Forsyth County from one of the state’s most prestigious universities.

Forsyth County commissioners voted 5-0 at a meeting last week to approve a county-initiated conditional use permit to operate a research facility at existing office space on Shiloh Road.

“We’re moving our laboratory from Georgia Tech,” said owner Joe George. “It’s a molecular diagnostic lab. We’ve run out of space there; we’ve found a suitable space on Shiloh Road at that location.”

District 2 Commissioner Rick Swope, who represents the area, told commissioners it was better to have the county innate the process.

“This was a situation where it was just necessary to offer conditional use,” Swope said. “It’s an opportunity for us to expedite processing the desired commercial into the area.”

Swope said the applicant had also worked with District 5 planning board member Stacey Guy, though planning board involvement is not required for county-initiated zonings.

The permit conditional upon the space being used for a research laboratory.