A STATE-OF-THE-ART £2 million business and technology centre is to be built in the heart of Blackpool.

It is hoped that the centre will create up to 100 permanent jobs - particularly for unemployed residents - and attract at least 40 hi-tech businesses to the area.

The centre will provide businesses with the latest in management services and will specialise in media and telecommunications.

It is being built in the area behind Kincraig Road and Moor Park Avenue in Bispham.

When completed, it will act as a gateway into a brand new technology park planned for new, expanding and relocating companies looking for top quality commercial accommodation.

Money for the centre has been provided by Blackpool Challenge Partnership using £600,000 from the town's Single Regeneration Budget; and by the developer Barnfield Construction of Nelson which has put £800,000 into the scheme.

Land for the development was provided by Blackpool Borough Council.

The whole project was officially launched today (Thursday) at a special ground-breaking ceremony led by Councillor Ivan Taylor, leader of the council and chairman of the Blackpool Challenge Partnership.

He said: "This centre and the technology park that surrounds it will make Blackpool one of the region's key business locations.

"Facilities such as these are not currently available locally and when the centre is finished it will help us to demonstrate that Blackpool is more than just a front, encouraging inward investment and generating permanent jobs."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.