Job prospects hit by science shock

7:35am Thursday 16th November 2006

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economic development chiefs in Selby warned today that abandoning plans to create a £1 billion science park would be a "massive blow" for the local area.

Coun Brian Percival, head of Selby District Council's economy board, said ditching the bid to build the European Spallation Source (ESS) at Burn Airfield would have a devastating effect on the prospects for bringing quality jobs to the district.

He called on Yorkshire Forward, which has bought the site, to come up with alternative plans to create another science park there.

"This is a big blow to our future plans for the economy," Coun Percival said.

"Selby is producing houses for commuters, but not producing jobs.

"It's the quality sort of jobs that were going to be important to lift the economy of the Selby town area.

"If we are not having the ESS, then I hope Yorkshire Forward can confirm that we are still having a science park there."

The Press exclusively reported yesterday that outgoing Science Minister Lord Sainsbury had effectively "killed off" the £1 billion bid, before resigning last week.

The Minister wrote a letter to Richard Gregory, chairman of Yorkshire Science, which appeared to cast doubt on the location for the facility, for research into neutrons.

Selby MP John Grogan said Lord Sainsbury was trying to rule out not only the ESS project at Burn, but any future strategic science investment in the region. He said the ESS project was potentially as economically important to the area as the Olympics were to London.

Burn Parish Council chairman Gordon Holmes said the news was a "big shock", which could have huge implications for the development of the proposed Burn bypass.

Community leaders have previously sought assurances from Yorkshire Forward that it would provide funding for the long-awaited road scheme, which is tied to the massive ESS project.

The route of the £4.8 million bypass, work on which was due to start in 2007, was altered to suit the research centre planned for the airfield.

"We're frightened that they (the agency) won't give us money for the bypass unless the ESS goes through," he said. Everything is so much up in the air and it's very unsettling for all of us.

"This news was completely out of the blue and totally unexpected."

Coun Holmes said Burn Gliding Club had also been left in limbo by the decision, as it would have been given an alternative home should the ESS project go through.

"They don't know what is happening," he said.

The parish council is meeting Yorkshire Forward, Mr Grogan, and the White Rose University Consortium - made up of the Universities of York, Leeds and Sheffield - next month to discuss the future.

Simon Hill, Yorkshire Forward's executive director of business, has also requested an urgent meeting with the new Science Minister, Malcolm Wicks.