THE Prime Minister hailed Daresbury Science Campus as a key to future economic growth as he launched the new Government Enterprise Zone at the development.

He visited businesses based at the park yesterday, Wednesday, on the day Daresbury Science Campus was announced as one of the selected zones.

David Cameron told businesses: “People have been tearing things down across the country, it’s great to see here an example of people who are building for the future.

“That’s why we have picked Daresbury Science Park [as an Enterprise Zone] because you’re building on massive successes. It is really inspiring to see what Daresbury is and what it can be.”

But Daresbury’s success was at the expense of the Omega development in Burtonwood, which had been submitted by the Cheshire Enterprise Partnership for the status.

Halton Council joined forces with the local enterprise partnerships of Liverpool and Manchester to make a bid on behalf of Daresbury Science Campus And Mr Cameron hinted why the application for the site, which is still to see any businesses locate there, was pipped by its south Warrington rival.

“We are not just taking a plot of land and saying build your business here,” he added. “Daresbury is something to build on.”

Enterprise Zones will offer cheaper business rates, superfast broadband and lower levels of planning control to encourage businesses to expand and locate. If successful the zones should create up to 30,000 jobs throughout the country and the Government said it was aiming them at locations with strong industries surrounding them.

Daresbury was chosen as the Government looked to build business in the science industry and Mr Cameron said it would help push the country’s economy into other fields than the heavy dominance on finance and public sector workers.

He added: “We need to rebalance the economy from the south to the north.

“It’s quite clear that Britain does have a good lead in science-based business.

“We decided not to cut the science budget and this [Daresbury] is a good justification of that. We need more hubs to be based around universities and science parks.

“Daresbury is next to very populated areas like Warrington and Runcorn and this can be a magnet for growth and jobs.”

The Government also announced Daresbury Science Campus is getting a £10million investment in new science facilities. £7.5million will be spent on computer science and engineering with £2.5million for accelerator science and technology.