Blueprints for a multi-million pound research park promising thousands of new jobs in Colchester are set to be unveiled.

Ambitious plans to attract the cream of hi-tech industry to Essex University will go before planners by the end of March, the Gazette can reveal.

Essex University chiefs first announced proposals for a 40-acre research park on the Wivenhoe campus in 2002.

The facility - including 600,000sq ft of office and lab space - was hailed as a major boost for the town which would create thousands of new jobs.

A spokesman said: "We are currently working on the masterplan. We already have outline permission to build a research park on the south end of the campus.

"Now we just have to work on the details. We hope to have the masterplan completed and submitted to the council by the end of March."

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Published Thursday, January 13, 2005

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