TECHNOPOLIS is the working title of a dramatic science park planned for Newcastle.

The idea of Centre for Life chief executive Alastair Balls, it is hoped the Newcastle Technopolis will develop the city as a world-leader in the field of innovation and research.

The multi-million pound plans have been announced following the centre's success last week in gaining a licence to undertake therapeutic cloning research.

Newcastle is now poised to become the leading world centre for stem cell research, leading to new treatments for a range of diseases, from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to diabetes.

Mr Balls said the plans provided for a major expansion of the centre's research and development facilities, which have reached capacity in the past few months.

While the expansion of the Centre for Life would form a key part of the development, it is hoped that other partners will come forward.

Mr Balls said the Technopolis concept was vital if Newcastle was to fulfill its potential.

"This development is essential if the region is to lead on innovation and retain and expand upon the skills of our existing world-leading medical research teams," he said.

"In the long term, it will allow us to capture the major potential of downstream activity in both the research and commercial sector, and attract to the city other related biotechnology research and application companies."

The Technopolis development is on land to the south of the Centre for Life, between Redheugh Bridge and King Edward Bridge, which runs along the north bank of the Tyne.

The aim is to create a research and development facility on an area of about 500,000sq ft, twice the size of the existing centre.

Mr Ball said the scheme would take between five and ten years to complete.

But once in place it would act as a prominent gateway to the city, he said.

The mix of research and development mimics similar successful developments in the Far East, such as in Singapore. Mr Balls said: "Newcastle Technopolis would provide further buildings for research, clinical and commercial development and have the potential to attract major pharmaceutical companies. It could create opportunities for growth resulting from One North East's Strategy for Success and centres of excellence."