MORE than 300 jobs could be created on Teesside if plans to build a bio-pharmaceutical facility are approved.

The site at medicines producer Avecia, in Belasis Avenue, Billingham, will provide for the contract manufacturing of bio-pharmaceutical products, using natural or genetically-engineered micro-organisms.

The products are intended for human use to treat illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and immune and respiratory diseases.

Stage one is programmed to begin in March and be completed by next year. It is hoped stage two will be completed after 2005 but before 2010.

It will create 280 full-time jobs, from cleaning to management, with 70 construction jobs and 55 other indirect jobs. At present, the site employs 140 people.

Alternative sites in Scotland and Canada were considered for the development, but the Billingham site was chosen because of its existing qualified staff base, facilities and experience.

A spokesman from the company said: "Larger-scale manufacturing facilities are needed to meet market demand to produce new bio-pharmaceutical products once they are proved to be effective by clinical trials and receive approval from the appropriate regulatory authorities.

"Avecia does not have such facilities and misses business opportunities as a result."

The site was previously developed with a mix of offices and laboratories which have been demolished. A new building will replace the old plant that stood on the site.

A report to Stockton Borough Council's planning committee, which will consider the plans next Friday, said: "There are no sustainable reasons for resisting the development and, given the significant job creation aspect, the development should be positively encouraged. It offers this area an opportunity. It will lead to complementary and spin-off companies locating in the area with the creation of a number of jobs.

"This project is important to the local economy, not only due to the number of jobs it will create, but because it will attract further investment in the fast developing field of biotechnology."