A SPECIAL ceremony on Friday will mark the start of work on a new business park at Bretton Street in Dewsbury

The park could bring 700 jobs to Kirklees.

Councillors, representatives from Bretton Street Developments and Dewsbury MP Ann Taylor will attend.

The scheme is supported by European Regional Development funding of £1.2m and an investment by Kirklees Council of £860,000,

The Bretton Street site is the home of a former gas works. At 10.6 hectares - just over one-tenth of a square kilometre - it is the largest brownfield site in Kirklees.

The site had stood unused and derelict for 10 years.

Extensive site investigations and the completion of highway work by Kirklees Council secured interest from the private sector.

The first stage of the £5.4m development is due for completion in autumn 2005.

This will include adding seven new business units to Bretton Street Enterprise Centre for rent by small and medium-size enterprises and start-up companies.

On completion, Bretton Business Park will create over 38,000m² of new business space, including a site for a unit of over 23,000m².