£1 billion hope for Yorkshire

A £1 billion pound scientific project, which is set to lead the world in its field and create thousands of jobs, could be developed in the Yorkshire region in the UK.

A site measuring 221 hectares (539 acres) at Burn airfield, near Selby, North Yorkshire, could be home to the world's largest neutron scattering facility, called the European Spallation Source (ESS).

A partnership has been forged between the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, and the White Rose University Consortium (the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York) to try and make this vision for the region a reality.

The Yorkshire ESS team (YESS) submitted an application for outline planning permission for the development of the site to Selby District Council on 12 May 2005, in a bid to develop this exciting and ambitious project.

Research carried out by Yorkshire Forward indicates that the building of a major science facility would have a major jobs boost for the region and the local area. During construction, it is estimated that up to 2,000 jobs would be created for people in the Selby region. And when built, the ESS would employ around 1,000 scientists, technicians, engineers and support staff.