ONE of the region's largest business parks is to welcome an international tenant that will bring 150 jobs to the North-East.

North Tyneside MP Stephen Byers made the announcement yesterday as he launched the next phase of the Quorum business park, in Longbenton.

The next phase is expected to create 15,000 jobs during the next ten years.

The tenant has not been named.

Mr Byers said yesterday that private sector investment of £36m would fund the construction of a 10,000sq ft office building, and a private day nursery that will create 30 jobs.

The building as a whole will potentially create another 1,000 jobs in the area.

Total investment so far in the business park, by developers Quorum Development Partners, has reached £105m.

The 48-acre site in Longbenton is the largest of its type in the UK.

Mr Byers said: "This major investment demonstrates a growing confidence in North Tyneside and the way we conduct business with investors and the creators of quality jobs."

Quorum's first tenant, the Inland Revenue, created 600 jobs when it opened its call centre in 2002.

The world's second largest oil tanker company, OSG, moved to the park in March.

The site was formerly that of the Viasystems factory, which closed in 2001 with the loss of more than 800 jobs.

Quorum Development Partners is a partnership between York-based Grantside Devlopments and Tritax Assets.