REGENERATION Minister Hilary Armstrong was in the region yesterday to officially cut the ribbon on a new business park.

The Durham North West MP was on Tyneside to mark the completion of the development of the former Monkton Cokeworks site in Hebburn.

Over the last three years £6m has been invested in the reclamation scheme by English Partnerships, together with £600,000 from the European Regional Development Fund.

Along with business park, the land provides 27 acres of community forest which forms part of the Great North Forest.

The Cokeworks itself closed in 1992 and for many years lay idle before passing to English Partnerships in 1996 and then to regional development agency One NorthEast in 1999.

Speaking at the opening Ms Armstrong said: "This area is an excellent example for all communities of what can be achieved in terms of regeneration using the skills of professionals and the imagination of local residents.

"Partnership is central to regeneration and there is now a real opportunity for businesses to come to the park and there is the potential for the creation of 500 new jobs which is excellent news for South Tyneside."

Partners involved in the reclamation with English Heritage and One NorthEast were South Tyneside Council and the local community around the site.