Derbyshire County Council has welcomed a £14.2 million funding boost to expand its flagship Markham Vale regeneration site with the potential to bring more than 2,000 more jobs to the area.

The county council drew up a bid − submitted through the Sheffield City Region's Enterprise Zone − for a share of £100 million set aside by Government for infrastructure to turn dormant sites into prime economic land.

Cash has been confirmed to develop the northern part of the Markham Vale site, where the former Seymour Colliery once stood, to:

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• Unlock a further 81 acres of land which already has outline planning permission for development

• Generate a further estimated £95.7 million of private sector investment

• Create capacity to bring an estimated 2,100 jobs to the area

• Carry out earthworks to prepare the ground for development plots capable of generating up to around 16,720 square metres of commercial floor space, as well as putting the relevant infrastructure in place for gas, electricity and water services.

• Widen the existing Erin Road and build an access road to the site.

In addition to the £14.2 million investment, a link road will also be built in 2015/16 to provide direct access to the site. The road is estimated to cost £7.56 million and expected to be funded jointly by the county council and local transport boards for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (D2N2) and Sheffield City Region (SCR).

(CD/MH)