PADIHAM'S Shuttleworth Mead business park will get the government seal of approval when it is officially opened by trade minister Richard Caborn on March 29.

Burnley's newest industrial estate -- 73 acres on the former Padiham Power Station site -- is filling fast and is expected to create 1,000 jobs.

The minister will join MP Peter Pike, Burnley council chief executive Dr Gillian Taylor and regeneration chiefs, who have made the business park an instant success, for the opening ceremony.

Mr Caborn's previous position as minister of state for the regions gave him a full appreciation of the importance and potential of the high quality regenerated brown-field site.

Ribble Industrial Estates Ltd which owns the site said Shuttleworth Mead was an example of best practice creating a thriving business park amidst quality surroundings that included areas dedicated to the environment and managed wildlife zones.

The launch will also be attended by members of the local business community and representatives of a number of environmental organisations.

In addition to the ceremonies, the day will include a guided tour of the site, a buffet lunch and a visit to company exhibitions at the park.

With firms now moving onto the site, which has benefited from more than £4.4million of Euro grants, training schemes are set to go ahead for jobs as varied as information technology posts to fork lift driving.

Out-of-work people from the central areas of Burnley will be offered special training to help them win the jobs on offer at the town's biggest business park.

European Funding will be used to provide tailor-made help to fill vacancies.

Site owner Ribble Industrial Estates has linked with Burnley College, Burnley Council and New Era Enterprises in an initiative to support the training of local people to potentially fill the newly-created positions.