PLANS for a business park in Darlington have taken a step forward.

An outline planning application has been submitted to Darlington Borough Council for the Faverdale East business park.

The 21 acre site on the northern edge of the town is expected to provide land up to 2010 for new businesses moving into Darlington and local companies looking to expand.

The planning application, which has been submitted by Darlington Borough Council, is seeking permission to build roads and define the general layout of the park.

A spokesman for the agents overseeing the development, Cundall Johnston and Partners, in Billingham, said companies had been invited to tender for the contract of developing the site.

The council hopes the park will attract companies seeking premises for manufacture, storage and warehousing, with units ranging from 8,000 sq ft to 15,000 sq ft.

The proposed site is part of a phased implementation of the Darlington Gateway Development Framework.

The framework provides a long-term strategy to ensure land and premises are available to meet the property needs of the local and sub-regional economies.

Councillor John Williams, Darlington council leader, said: "Darlington is an ideal location and first-class communications mean there is an increasing demand for quality sites to accommodate businesses looking to relocate or expand in the town.

"We have to ensure we have the capacity to meet that demand and the Faverdale site will help us achieve that aim."