UP TO 5,000 jobs could be coming to the region, after a £1bn business park was given the go-ahead.

The 76-acre Durham Green Business Park, near Bowburn, County Durham, is the project of millionaire property developer David Abrahams, best known for making donations of more than £650,000 to the Labour Party using other people’s names.

Following yesterday’s vote, Mr Abrahams hailed the scheme as a major regeneration opportunity, which would bring much-needed jobs to the area.

“It is the ideal place to put a business park and railport,”

he said. “Businesses operating from there will have access to the country’s major road and rail networks, and the county council has already put a road in, linking the part of the former east Durham coalfield.”

Durham Green Business Park will have 92,000sq metres of business space and be close to junction 61 of the A1(M).

Members of Durham County Council’s county planning committee unanimously approved outline planning permission for the project following a 20-minute debate.

Councillor Charlie Walker said: “The employment value is tremendous for the survival and economics of central Durham.”

Councillor Maria Plews also praised the potential for new jobs, while Councillor Mark Wilkes described the scheme as a “fantastic proposal”.

At least ten per cent of the park’s energy will come from renewable sources.

Mr Abrahams said: “I want Durham Green to be a model of sustainable development and sustainable jobs in the 21st Century.

“I have already pledged that any profits I make from the development will go to charity.

This is corporate and social responsibility in practice.”

Mr Abrahams hit the headlines over proxy donations in November 2007. A Metropolitan Police investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing and the Crown Prosecution Service has said no one will face charges.

Questions were also raised over an earlier version of the Durham Green project, with Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne asking why it was approved in October 2006, after initially being turned down.

Police handed the inquiry to the district auditor, who found no wrongdoing.

The business park will bring improvements to junctions 60, 61 and 62 of the A1(M) and the dualling of part of the A688.