A NEW medical research and development complex will open in Blackburn on July 1, it has been announced.

French firm Gosselin revealed plans to set up a base in East Lancashire earlier this year after tying up a deal to move into £2million premises in Sett End Road, Shadsworth Industrial Park.

The company, which has half of the European petri-dish market, has already hired 23 people and hopes to have 37 staff by the end of next year.

Gosselin’s move was part-bankrolled by a £290,000 grant from the North West Development Agency.

The new base is part of the Medi Knowledge Park, Shadsworth, designed to eventually support 1,000 high-value jobs.