EDUCATION experts today welcomed the plans for a multi-million pound Knowledge Park and said it will mark a "major turning point" for education in East Lancashire.

The East Lancashire Knowledge Park, a 38-hectare site for industries such as telecommunications, bio-technology, computer software and aerospace, is to be built near the M65 at Whitebirk.

It is hoped the park will help solve a crisis in work experience opportunities for young people as well as reversing a "brain drain" by attracting graduates back into the area.

At present, students considering a university education are forced to leave East Lancashire, despite degree courses being available at higher education colleges such as Burnley and Blackburn.

Phil Tomlin, of the East Lancashire Education Business Partnership, said: "This is a very positive project for the future of East Lancashire and the education sector in general.

"It will not only encourage top class graduates back into the area but will be a major source of links for the partnership between education and business. It is the major turning point we have been waiting for."

And Sheena Ewing, principal of Blackburn College, said: "The college is a member of the East Lancashire Partnership and is fully committed to the regeneration of the area.

"We have very close links with the partnership and will be part of the development as it comes on stream. It is also close to our East Lancashire centres of excellence, where we have state-of-the-art computer facilities and research.

"We welcome the move and this will help retain our graduates."

The ELEBP was also hopeful that the development, which could begin in 2005, will go some way to benefiting school age children.

And that could help reverse statistics which revealed today that the skills gap in workforces is worse in Lancashire than anywhere else in the country. Almost 40 per cent of organisations in Lancashire have said they can not find enough people with the right skills for their jobs.

Mr Tomlin added: "We would hope the development will help rectify the crisis in finding work experience places.

"At present we have 7,000 youngsters who want to go on a work experience and only 2,000 employers and yet school children are the work force of the future.

"This investment is much needed and very positive."

More than 2,000 jobs are set to be created at the new high-tech business park which is expected to bring £60million of investment to East Lancashire.