THE ongoing jobs boom in a Suffolk market town looks set to continue after ambitious plans for a business park creating more than 230 new posts were revealed.

THE ongoing jobs boom in a Suffolk market town looks set to continue after ambitious plans for a business park creating more than 230 new posts were revealed.

Community leaders last night welcomed proposals for the two hectare industrial estate in Bury St Edmunds, and said it illustrated confidence was high in a growing town which is to benefit from massive investment over the coming months.

The plan, for a 22 unit centre on a parcel of currently undeveloped land off Bedingfeld Way, to the north of the existing Suffolk Business Park, comes just months after the EADT revealed supermarket giant Asda was to move to the town, creating 350 jobs.

A large number of positions will also provided when the controversial Cattle Market redevelopment is complete in 2008, while around 50 posts have recently been filled at the town's new Cineworld multiplex cinema.

“It is boom time for the town, with this news and the Cattle Market project progressing well,” said Terry Buckle, a St Edmundsbury Borough Councillor for the Moreton Hall ward, in which the business park will sit.

“It is a really good thing. The existing business park off Bedingfeld Way will be bigger and better because of this, and it will provide more employment for Bury. It is what the area was designated for.”

If the proposal wins approval from members of the council's planning committee on Thursday, 14 office units will be created and a further eight provided for light industrial use.

Areas would be landscaped to provide wildlife habitat, while employees would be encouraged to utilise green ways of getting to work, through the extensive cycle routes in the area and the site's proximity to public transport links.

“The town has been crying out for further commercial opportunities to be available and this will partly meet that need,” said Lionel Thurlow, chairman of the town's chamber of commerce.

“In comparison to other areas on the A14, Bury has been a little bit behind in reaping the rewards of what could come from the transport links.

“It is great to see people have got the confidence in the town, think it is progressing forward and want to invest here.”

Chrissy Harrod, president of the chamber of commerce, welcomed the plans and said the much-needed accommodation the business park would provide was currently in short supply within the town.

“In my opinion, this is brilliant news for the town. Without knowing any background about it, it sounds very, very good and is obviously a positive thing,” she said.

“We are desperate for business units in the town, and often find that when people are ready to start looking at moving into their own premises.

“We certainly do not want to be losing these businesses to other towns.”

No-one was available for comment yesterdayfrom Wrenbridge, which has submitted the planning application.