A BUSINESS park is to expand creating more than 3,000 jobs.

Aycliffe Business Park – already the largest of its kind in the region – is to expand further thanks to development work on a 52 hectare site in Forest Park, Newton Aycliffe.

Durham County Council have begun work preparing the site, which they say will create 3,200 jobs and generate almost half a billion pounds for the local economy in the next 20 years.

The council has received £13m worth of funding from the Local Enterprise Partnership to help develop the Forest Park Site, which lies adjacent to the Hitachi Rail.

Initial work, due to be completed by the end of autumn 2017, will see construction of a new, junction on the A167 - for better access to both the new site and Aycliffe Business Park – as well as an internal link road and a power substation.

The council said they hoped the new site will receive £140m investment from private sector companies, as the improvements are designed to “remove existing barriers to the continued success and further expansion of Aycliffe Business Park.”

Simon Henig, leader of Durham County Council, said: “The decision by Hitachi to bring rail manufacturing back to its spiritual home in County Durham provided us with the opportunity of a lifetime.

“The significant role the council played in that decision, along with our partners, remains one of my proudest moments with the authority.

“To add to the success of what is already the largest business park in the region, by unlocking the new development on Forrest Park we hope to bring forward over 3,000 jobs and add almost half a billion pounds to the economy over the next 20 years.

“This investment will firmly shine a light on Durham, demonstrating what a great place the County is for business.”

Neil Foster, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “Aycliffe Business Park has been phenomenally successful, creating thousands of local jobs.

“By removing the barriers to its expansion we will create the perfect environment for the private sector to step forward and make the most of the opportunities provided by Hitachi Rail, its wider supply chain and the cluster of manufacturing industries in the area.

“As a result we hope that Forrest Park becomes the next great success story for County Durham, bringing thousands of new jobs to the area and putting millions of pounds into our economy.”

Darren Cumner, manufacturing plant manager at Hitachi Rail said: “This expansion is excellent news for the area and the wider economy.

“It will firmly put County Durham on the map as a County which stimulates investment and regeneration, and we are delighted to be part of it.”