NEARLY 1,500 jobs could be created in a £6.8m science park expansion.

Officials behind the North East Technology Park (NetPark) are plotting a 26-acre extension to lure fast-growing research and development companies to the region.

They have now received funding from the Local Growth Fund to turn the vision into a reality.

Work could start on an access road in January next year, which will connect space planned for development on land north of NetPark.

Bosses say the expansion, which forms part of a ten-year strategy to create thousands of jobs and pump £400m into the region’s economy, could deliver 1,400 posts by creating offices and labs for tech companies keen to scale up ideas.

NetPark is run by Business Durham, the business division of Durham County Council, and is already home to numerous innovative operations, such as airport scanner maker Kromek and Polyphotonix, which has made a sleep mask to treat blindness in diabetes sufferers.

Last month, pharma firm ReViral also moved into the Sedgefield base, vowing to create North-East jobs as it bids to spearhead multi-million dollar lung infection, pneumonia and Zika treatments.

Peter McDowell, Business Durham’s business property director, said firms are queuing up to take advantage of the park’s facilities.

He said: “This exciting next phase in NetPark’s expansion will open up possibilities for growing companies wanting more space, be they existing businesses or companies who want to locate here.

“Many existing companies have expressed a desire to expand and we’ve also had interest from companies outside the region.”

The funding represents another chapter in bosses’ attempts to increase the science park’s stature.

Speaking to The Northern Echo in 2014, Dr Simon Goon, Business Durham managing director, said the ten-year plan was both exciting and achievable.

He said: “NetPark has made rapid progress and is really gaining momentum.

“We are really confident we can deliver this.”

The project is being funded by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership regeneration body, as part of the Government’s North East Growth Deal.

Helen Golightly, chief operating officer, added: “NetPark is an excellent example of the type of project we aim to support through smart and focused investment.

“We are pleased to see the work moving forward.”