EXPANSION plans for a "chocka" technology park are to go ahead after they were approved by councillors.
The new buildings are in the third phase of NETPark (the North East Technology Park) in Sedgefield, which houses more than 40 science, engineering and technology companies.
Durham County Council says the "unique business park" is expected to bring up to 1,250 skilled jobs, 2,200 more in the supply chain, and more than £625m to the County Durham economy.
The council - which invested £49m in the expansion last September - says the added space will accommodate growing demand from businesses at the "thriving science community".
The plans mean the park will move into land which had not been earmarked for expansion for another 13 years.
The new research and development units will be built near the high-tech businesses already established off William Armstrong Way, NETPark.
The council asked for detailed planning permission for seven two-storey units which will provide more than 18,600sqm of research and development floor space.
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Outline planning permission was sought for larger units making up to 22,700sqm of floor space.
Most of this will be for research and development, with a "hub" building of up to three storeys.
The units will be built on 15.3 hectares of former agricultural land to the north-west of the existing NETPark development.
Roads and infrastructure have already gone into the site after they were previously given planning permission.
Senior planning officer Colin Harding said: "The units themselves have been designed to provide a flexible approach to manufacturing, warehouse and ancillary accommodation at the rear, front and sides of the units providing opportunities for office and laboratory space.
"You're looking at the extension of NETPark as a whole, which is a significant amount of floorspace.
"The road network is already in place and is available for use should other development parcels come forward.
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"The land is generally rolling farmland or former farmland, either still currently in use or has ceased in that use since the road was put in.
"The majority of the site does lie within an allocation within the County Durham Plan for this nature of use.
"The land is allocated for the extension of NETPark," he told a planning committee meeting.
But he said about two hectares of the site was on land "safeguarded for potential future expansion" beyond the current County Durham Plan, which ends in 2035.
The occupiers of the nearby Lizards Farm objected, saying that land should not be released and lost to the development now.
They also voiced concerns about the impact on the landscape, woodland, ecology and heritage.
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Council officers did not believe taking out the two hectares would compromise the NETPark strategy and development.
Mr Harding added: "This is entirely the type of use that the policy was really seeking.
"Overall officers consider the development is in compliance with the County Durham Plan, also the Sedgefield Neighbourhood Plan, therefore we recommend the application for approval."
Council departments did not object, with landscape officers finding the plans would be "transformative" but compensated with the planting of more than 130 trees.
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Up to 2,700sqm of the site could be for shops, gym or day nursery facilities.
Mr Harding said: "They are proposed solely and primarily as providing services for people who work at NETPark.
"You wouldn't really expect them to perhaps walk for over half an hour into Sedgefield to pick up a sandwich or find a creche.
"They're simply there to serve the wider development.
"There's a condition proposed which would limit the size of any single retail unit to less than 400sqm, so in retail terms that's relatively small."
Councillor Liz Brown said: "So in other words we're looking at Starbucks and Greggs rather than Sainsbury's?"
Mr Harding replied: "I couldn't rule out any operator.
"But effectively it's servicing for employees which we'd expect here, not a destination retail element."
Cllr Craig Martin said: "It's a development that expands NETPark right next to NETPark on land that is allocated for the expansion of NETPark.
"It's a very successful site. Business Durham say it's chocka.
"It needs land to expand, to bring in high-quality jobs to the area."
Councillors voted unanimously to approve the plans.
Another planning application for a floodlit athletics track on a nearby site is also under consideration.
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