Development to bring 3,200 jobs to County Durham

Cllr Simon Henig and Cllr Neil Foster at the site of the development. Credit: Durham County Council

Work has started on a new business park, which is expected to bring 3,200 new jobs to County Durham.

With £13m funding from the Local Enterprise Partnership, Durham County Council is carrying out work to prepare the 52 hectare Forrest Park site in Newton Aycliffe.

This new site will link up with the existing Aycliffe Business Park - which liesadjacent to the Hitachi Rail site.

The enabling works, 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 – plus an internal link road and a power substation.

Durham County Council said the improvements were designed to remove existing barriers to the continued success and further expansion of Aycliffe Business Park.

By doing so it is hoped that it will unlock a potential investment of nearly £140 million from the private sector to develop the site.

It’s estimated the site could see the creation of 3,200 jobs and boost the local economy to the tune of almost half a billion pounds.