BACUP engineering design specialist mCADuk has signed a contract to become the first tenant at a revolutionary new £2.8m business centre at Futures Park when it opens in May.

"We need a place for the company to grow into and Futures Park is perfect for us," said John Fish, director of mCADuk, which is currently based on Henrietta Street in Bacup.

"We started trading in April and took our first employee on in September. By the time we move into the new office in six months time, we hope to be in a position to take on another employee."

Fellow director Doug Nangle added: "We provide a service for small engineering companies, with 2-d, 3-d and product design. Many of our clients are based in and around Bacup so it makes sense for us to be in the area. Looking at our options, the Futures Park development was just what we need."

Kingfisher is confident there will be plenty of other companies following mCAD's lead ahead of the opening. "We are delighted to have a young successful company like mCADuk on board," said John Calway, MD of Kingfisher Business Centre Limited.

"They are a growing business and I am sure being part of the new centre will help their future development. We are already in negotiations with several other companies and hope to have more firms lined up to move in from day one of the operation..

"We are committed to making the Futures Park venture a success and that includes marketing the centre effectively so that it is a lively and vibrant business environment. As the building work continues on the site, the more the interest has grown."

When complete the centre will have 50 managed office units. The services provided to tenants are designed to take away both administrative and business headaches, allowing companies to do what they are good at. The 30,000 square foot development will provide parking, broadband connectivity, conference and meeting facilities and 24-hour access.

"Businesses will benefit from having a professional management team on hand and access to Business Link services provided by Kingfisher, which means that business support will always be on tap for Futures Park companies. That is what makes this development so special. It is the complete package for small businesses

"The Kingfisher Centre at Futures Park is a unique vision of the way ahead. There is nothing else like it in East Lancashire and it is very exciting to be involved in such a progressive project."

Added Mr Calway: "The headaches associated with travelling and trying to park in our major towns and cities are familiar to us all. Futures Park is the perfect headache cure."

Funding for the centre, which is sited on a former mill in the Lee Mill area, has been provided by the Northwest Development Agency, the European Regional Development Fund and Rossendale Borough Council.