THE economy of a sprawling part of North Yorkshire is bucking the national trend with the prospect of hundreds of new jobs, millions of pounds of investment and better transport links.

The upbeat news has been given by Ryedale District Council’s head of economy and housing, Julian Rudd, who said: “There are many reasons to be optimistic about our local economy this year.

“Work is underway on the new Eden Business Park and Food Enterprise Zone at Malton which will bring over 500 new jobs on the site plus another 700 jobs as a result of the increased economic activity resulting from the development.”

The success, said Mr Rudd, had come about because of a successful bid to the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership by the developers and the council for £2.1m towards creating the infrastructure on the site, which adjoins the A169 and A64 on the Malton by-pass.

Further job opportunities will come from the multi-billion pound potash mine in the North York Moors National Park, where construction work is due to start very shortly on a scheme which will be the biggest of its kind in the world.

Meanwhile at Sand Hutton, Capita has bought the National Agri-Food Innovation Agency and the investment giants are involved in talks with potential occupiers to join the Food and Research Agency and the National Centres of Excellence for Crop Health and Livestock on the prime site on the A64.

“This is expected to bring many new jobs to Ryedale, especially high paid employment which are so badly needed in this low wage area,” he said.