NEW BUSINESS PARK WILL BRING 4,000 JOBS TO THE REGION

CAR manufacturer Nissan has sold off part of its North-East for the development of a multi-million pound business park.

Barmston Developments, a joint venture between Wilton Developments and Clugston Developments, plans to build offices, industrial units, a hotel and car showrooms on the site in Sunderland, leading to the creation of around 4,000 permanent jobs.

Nissan will use the money from the sale to build its own, £4.5m logistics centre. The deal has been backed by Sunderland City Council and regional development agency One NorthEast.

Plans for the new business park will be submitted in the summer and work on the five-year project could start before the end of the year.

SALES LIFT FOR BAKERY CHAIN GREGGS

BAKERY chain Greggs has reported a lift in sales as the warm April weather attracted more shoppers onto the highstreet.

The Newcastle-based plc said like-for-like sales had increased 4.9 per cent since the start of the year and operating profit was sitting ahead of company forecasts.

LOSSES NARROW FOR SOUTHERN CROSS CARE homes group Southern Cross Healthcare has reported a dramatic decrease in losses and said it continues to expand, with the acquisition of ten new homes. The Darlington-based group revealed pre-tax losses for the 26 weeks to April 1 of £600,000, compared to £12.4m the year before. Revenue for the period climbed by 17 per cent to £336.3m.

For more business news pick up a copy of tomorrow's Business Echo supplement