The £40 million Chatterley Valley development scheme is being financed by Advantage West Midlands, through the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone, and the European Regional Development Fund.

The scheme encompasses two sites – the former colliery land Lowlands Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Goldendale East and West, Stoke-on-Trent.

It will see the transformation 70 hectares (173 acres) of mainly derelict land into a major employment site over the next ten years and create around 4,000 jobs.

Proposals at Lowlands Road include provision of 150,000 sq ft of space for SMEs as well as warehouse development.

At the Goldendale site, phase one site proposals include the development of a new Enterprise Centre with 30,000 sq ft of space for SMEs and start-up businesses.