Plans to expand a business park in Durham have been given the go-ahead.

Jade Business Park, in Murton, is owned and run by us after being created in 2020. Its seven units currently employs 160 people, with this number expected to rise to more than 250 in the next five years.

Phase 1 of the development is managed by Durham County Council's business support service Business Durham.

The council's county planning committee has now approved plans to develop Phase 2 of the site. This final phase will provide a further 550,000 sq. ft. of floorspace with an additional seven units proposed. Once completed the development could support a further 1,000 jobs.

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The expansion plan will build on the business park's existing high standard transport links and also emerging opportunities to use renewable energy sources.

Cllr James Rowlandson, the council's Cabinet member for resources, investments and assets, said: "This is fantastic news for the county's economy and something which will be a catalyst for wider regeneration.

"Expansion of Jade Business Park will allow us to build on our Council Plan for 2020 to 2023 to create more and better jobs by enabling business growth. This is being done by developing a pipeline of projects and investment plans at major employment sites, providing modern high quality commercial premises to meet the needs of growing businesses in the county.

"The ambition is to capitalise and build on the success of Phase 1 at Jade to bring new opportunities to the area and provide an improved employment offer.

"This will also complement the 3,285 new homes that are allocated to East Durham in the County Durham Plan."

Buckinghamshire Properties Limited, which developed Phase 1, will deliver Phase 2, working alongside us and with support from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.

The development will be financed mainly through private and commercial funding.