Council chiefs have approved an extension to a business park on the outskirts of Ely which has the potential to create up to 3,000 new jobs and millions of pounds of investment. The application to extend the Lancaster Way business park by more than 30 hec

Council chiefs have approved an extension to a business park on the outskirts of Ely which has the potential to create up to 3,000 new jobs and millions of pounds of investment.

The application to extend the Lancaster Way business park by more than 30 hectares was unanimously approved by members of East Cambridgeshire District Council's planning committee on Wednesday afternoon, subject to the resolution of a number of technical matters.

The extension will be for various business and industrial uses to build on the success of the existing park which employs more than 1,000 people.

Cllr Phillip Read, chairman of planning at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "This application is an example of success breeding success. The current business park is a great example of a well-run operation which offers security for its tenants and a great location to do business from.

"As a district council, our aim is to create more job opportunities for local residents and encourage economic growth and prosperity for the whole of East Cambridgeshire. It is not often the whole of the planning committee wholeheartedly support an application but in this case the benefits of extending the park were obvious. There are still a few hurdles to clear but the significance of this approval on the future of the district should not be underestimated."

Approval for the application was delegated to the executive director and is subject to a 106 agreement.