A £13M innovation centre expansion is attracting huge interest from high-tech businesses looking to grow in the North-East, it has been claimed.

Officials at the North East Technology Park (NetPark), in Sedgefield, County Durham, say companies are pushing to move into its Explorer development, years before it will open.

The building, due to be completed by 2017, will house laboratories, clean room space and offices, allowing firms to scale up projects.

Bosses say it will create and support about 800 jobs, through companies’ use and the construction phase.

Councillors approved the expansion last year, with NetPark, which is home to more than 20 firms working across science, engineering and technology, needing to grow to meet a waiting list of companies.

One of the businesses looking to move into an Explorer unit is existing NetPark operator Ibex Innovations.

The firm specialises in x-ray detectors across medical and industrial markets, and has previously seen its advanced systems used by doctors to examine cancerous tumours and the Ministry of Defence to see inside explosives.

Dr Gary Gibson, Ibex chief technology officer, said the Sedgefield site was a perfect location for its work.

He added: “Being at NetPark, we’ve been able to find out about sources of funding and network with like-minded companies.

“The office itself is in a really lovely setting, like an American campus feel, and we’re looking forward to being part of its development.”

The expansion is the next phase of a ten-year NetPark strategy, which was exclusively revealed by The Northern Echo last year.

The plans centre upon creating more than 10,000 jobs, and bosses hope the park, opened by then Prime Minister Tony Blair 11 years ago, will host an additional 200 companies on nearby council-owned land to by 2025.

It is anticipated the expansion will create 3,500 new jobs and 7,500 at local manufacturers and suppliers.

Dr Simon Goon, managing director at Business Durham, the business arm of Durham County Council, said Explorer will allow more firms in the region to prosper.

He added: “NetPark is already at 95 per cent capacity, so we really need the extra space for companies excelling in their field, such as Ibex.

“We have firms wanting to scale up and businesses wanting to move because they’ve heard about NetPark’s global reputation and understand it offers an environment to accelerate into international markets.”

NetPark is already home to various businesses responsible for groundbreaking innovations, including Kromek, best known for pioneering an airport scanner capable of identifying liquids in bottles, and Polyphotonix, the company behind a sleep mask capable of transforming treatment of eye disease in diabetes sufferers.