A Darlington business park is being flagged up as a hi-tech shop window of European importance in a multi-million pound programme for the Tees Valley.

The town is named as an important gateway to the region in the Tees Valley Partnership's three-year programme, approved by development agency One North-East on Monday.

Work is due for completion this month on the £1.5m infrastructure for Morton Palms business park, which is being set up for high quality office, hotel and leisure facilities. It is hoped the 28-acre site next to the A66 will create 2,000 jobs.

Richard Alty, the council's director of economic development, revealed: "We are very close to appointing a developer, who will oversee the whole thing and deal with speculative inquiries and sales."

David Lyonette, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "There are a couple of companies interested in moving head offices there and I believe we have a hotel and leisure complex on the corner opposite the roundabout."

The development would become a hi-tech shop window helping the South-East and Europe look at the region with a different eye.

"We will still have the major steel, chemicals and heavy industry down the road, but the hi-tech part, coupled with higher education opportunities, should see the area booming into the next decade."

The Tees Valley is also marketing quality of life as a selling point.

"Already Darlington is running short of quality houses on the market, prices are rocketing as the Tees Valley economy begins to lift and Darlington is an ideal place to live and commute there," said Coun Lyonette.

He said Darlington Business Venture had agreed to take over a large building for offices with communal facilities.

Alistair Arkley, chairman of Tees Valley Partnerhip, said Darlington's location made it ideal for its role as a gateway to the Tees Valley and the North-East

Eventual plans were that the A66 would be completely dual carriageway and his ultimate vision was being able to get on a train at Morton Palms and go through to Hartlepool or Middlesbrough. But that could be many years ahead.

"Redcar, Hartlepool, Stockton and Middlesbrough authorities all recognise we need Darlington and we want it. We want to ensure it gets its fair share of the pot.

"The borough always felt a bit unwanted when it was part of County Durham."